


let the world catch up for a while

by geborgenheit



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Pet Store, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-23 03:36:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17675708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geborgenheit/pseuds/geborgenheit
Summary: Hyunjin took his hand and squeezed it tightly before lacing their fingers together, and Seungmin couldn’t help but think about how their hands fit together perfectly.“Sometimes you just gotta let things happen, yeah?” Hyunjin said. “And sometimes you just gotta ask that cute cashier if they have samples of dog treats, too.”or: au where seungmin works part-time at a pet store and hyunjin comes in asking if he could taste some of the dog treats he wanted to buy for kkami. and then [a lot of] things ensue.





	let the world catch up for a while

**Author's Note:**

> hi! so:  
> \- when i started writing this i didn't think it'd end up this long. i had an outline planned out, but as i was writing, the story just felt a little incomplete and their relationship (and its growth) felt too shallow for me. now, tho, i feel like there's too much unnecessary shit lmao but ye sorry about that.  
> \- i had specific universities in mind, but i just didn't know where /exactly/ these universities are located so i didn't specify them anymore, but they're located in the same city. BUT! as usual, they're still just based on google and shit i know  
> \- english isn't my first language, so pls forgive mistakes and inconsistencies etc.  
> \- also hi alex i don't think u'd read this lmao but thanks for always encouraging to write and sry if i sometimes/always bother u w weird questions lol  
> \- prompt was something i tweeted maybe abt a month ago, hoping someone would see it and write it, but then some days ago i suddenly wanted to write it and so i did and so here, pls have unnecessarily & overdone 21k seungjin.  
> 

It was just another normal, boring day at the store, and Kim Seungmin was on cashier duty again, trying to squeeze in a little more studying before preparing to leave, because no one was supposed to come in anymore at a time like this.

“It’s Friday. Who would buy cat litter on a Friday? Not me,” Minho, his co-worker and best friend, noted, eyes glued to his phone.

See, Seungmin was also sure nobody had time to go to pet stores at this time of day, in the same way he was sure nobody had ever gone there at this time on any other day since he had started working there.

The pet store Seungmin worked at was small, was never really busy, only had a few customers, and didn’t sell animals like other pet stores did. It was just a place where one would buy their pets’ food, treats, shampoo and the likes. Located just a few blocks away from the apartment complex Seungmin lived in, it was normal for them to see some neighbors occasionally. (Sometimes, Seungmin even delivered cat litter to the old lady who lived in the apartment two floors above theirs). These neighbors were mostly the entirety of their customers, really.

But then this unfamiliar _cute guy_ walked in, smiled at Seungmin, and completely disregarded the fact that the store was supposed to close.

Granted, the guy couldn’t have possibly known how badly Seungmin wanted to go home, but the tired uni student just couldn’t help but roll his eyes in annoyance. It was just a few minutes until closing time and his co-workers had already changed out of their uniforms, yet he was stuck here at the counter, watching the cute guy walk around the aisle where dog treats were supposed to be.

It definitely didn’t help that someone else, someone infinitely louder and bouncier and more excited than the cute guy, came rushing in and saying, “Wait up!” unnecessarily loudly. How someone could be _that_ cheerful at this time of day, when Seungmin was already tired and hungry and just wanted some sleep but knew that he can’t sleep because he still had to study, he couldn’t even fathom. It was irritating, and maybe Seungmin would’ve shouted at them to get out if Minho and Woojin weren’t there with him.

“I thought we were closing.” Minho didn’t even bother to keep his voice down. If Seungmin weren’t already pissed and eager to go home, he would’ve told Minho off even if Minho was two years older than him.

“A customer’s a customer,” Kim Woojin, the oldest of the three, pointed out. Of course, that would be Woojin’s concern; he practically owned the store. His dad ran a whole lot of other businesses (something Minho found was worth teasing him for), and so left the small pet store to him and his older brother as a training ground of sorts. Woojin’s older brother was the actual manager, but Woojin was the one who did all the managing their small pet store needed.

And, honestly, as much as Seungmin didn’t want to admit it right now, Woojin was right. So no matter how tired and hungry and annoyed he was at the moment, they would have to put these customers first.

“Well,” Minho huffed out, “at least one of them’s cute.”

Seungmin sighed. “Yeah,” he agreed. “The tall one’s definitely cute.”

“No, I meant that one,” Minho pointed at the other guy, the one who came running in a little later. “Look at his cheeks.”

“Oh.” Seungmin regarded him; his cheeks looked chubby because of the triangle _kimbap_ he was eating while he waited for his friend to pick up some dog food. It reminded Seungmin of a hamster. “I guess, he _is_ kind of cute. The tall one’s cuter, though.”

“Can you two please stop checking out the customers out loud?” Woojin asked nicely. This silenced the two younger ones, because however sassy and rude they might get specially when they were together, they still respected the eldest. After all, it was Woojin who had landed them this job.

But Minho, being closer in age to Woojin, was still a bit braver than Seungmin. “Just because you’ve been checking out a co-worker, doesn’t mean we can’t check out customers,” he said.

“Yeah,” Seungmin added. “Seriously, hyung, when are you gonna ask him out?”

The two were pertaining to a certain Australian named Bang Chan, who worked the morning shift. Woojin claimed the he and Chan were classmates at one point during his time in university and they were the same age and so, naturally, they grew closer. Minho really liked teasing Woojin about Chan, and although sometimes Seungmin liked to join along, it was only because he didn’t exactly know any other way to coax answers from the older even though they had been friends for years.

“None of your business,” Woojin replied. “Besides, Channie’s busy with a lot of stuff. I don’t want to—.”

“Uh, excuse me?”

The three were startled by the cute guy suddenly standing in front of the counter. Despite his annoyance, Seungmin put on a smile and answered, “How may I help you, sir?”

“Hi,” the cute guy greeted again. “I was wondering if you have samples for these.” He held up a few packets of dog treats for Seungmin and the others to see.

“I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t offer samples. Those only come in that size.”

“No, no. I mean, like, _samples_. You know, for me to taste?”

Seungmin blinked at the customer, his mouth slightly agape. Did he hear him correctly? He shifted his gaze from the cute—weird—guy to the guy’s friend, who just shrugged at Seungmin with his cheeks still stuffed with the _kimbap_ he was eating. After not getting an answer from the guy’s friend, Seungmin looked back at him, half expecting him to burst out laughing and say, _Just kidding!_ and then leave. But no. Instead, they stared at each other for what seemed like minutes.

It was Minho who finally spoke first. “Are you okay?” he asked the guy. “You eat dog food? What the fu—?”

“He means,” Woojin, the most composed of them all, interrupted. “we don’t offer _free_ samples, unfortunately. But rest assured that those are good—.”

“For _your dog_ ,” Minho butted in.

Woojin gave him a pointed look before continuing, “Yes. People have left good reviews for that particular brand. You could look them up.”

The guy nodded slowly at Woojin, before turning back to Seungmin and smiling. “I’ll take these then,” he said and handed over his credit card, which Seungmin immediately took while Minho packed the dog treats inside a paper bag and practically shoving it into the guy’s hands. “Thanks,” the guy said as soon as he got his card back before walking out of the shop together with his friend.

“That was the weirdest shit I’ve ever come across with ever since I started working here,” Minho announced as soon as Woojin flipped the _OPEN_ sign to _CLOSED._ “And I’ve been working here for almost two years.”

“You haven’t worked opening shift,” was what Woojin said. “Chan told me someone once asked him if it was safe for children to use litter boxes.”

Minho sighed exaggeratedly. “Well,” he said, “at least I got his number.”

“What?”

“Who?”

“The cute one,” explained Minho, looking amused as he held up a slightly crumpled receipt. Surely enough, a phone number was messily scrawled on the back. “He slipped me his number.”

 

***

 

Weekends, usually a time for Seungmin to sleep in, maybe cook himself and his friends some eggs, and then get some studying done. Except today, he woke up earlier than he hoped, to the sound of people bickering from outside his shared bedroom with Minho.

Seo Changbin, their next-door neighbor who had a whole apartment by himself, came over to their place, an apartment Seungmin shared with two other people, this early in the morning. This wasn’t the first time, and Seungmin knew he ought to have gotten used to it by now, but that wasn’t enough reason for him to not get annoyed.

 _Okay_ , Seungmin thought to himself before springing out of bed, maybe it wasn’t _too_ _early_. It was already a little over half past ten, still quite the contrast to waking up at six a.m. during weekdays. Still, he felt like he could’ve snuck in more minutes or at least an hour if Changbin and Minho weren’t too busy dissing each other while playing video games.

“Morning,” Woojin greeted as Seungmin stepped out of his room and into the small kitchen, where the older was already cooking some eggs. “Woken up again by those two?” Seungmin just scowled in response, earning him a chuckle and a ruffle of his already messy hair from the older.

When Seungmin first moved into Woojin’s apartment, where Minho had also already settled, Changbin already lived in the apartment next to theirs. He didn’t really know much about Changbin’s family or where he was from; all he knew was that Changbin was rich and already had his own apartment even though he was just a year older than Seungmin himself, and that Changbin went to the same university as he and Minho did, which Woojin also used to go to.

Two years later and Seungmin still didn’t know much about Changbin, although he would say he did learn to like him more as a person and as a friend.

“I have to study but they’re being noisy,” Seungmin complained as he sipped on the bottle of banana milk he found in their fridge.

“What are you studying for this time?” Woojin inquired. He set down a plate of rice and eggs and a side of kimchi in front of Seungmin. “Here, you can eat first because you’re my favorite housemate.”

“I heard that!” Minho shouted from the living room.

Seungmin just laughed. “Thanks, hyung,” he said to Woojin. “I have an exam next week for this western politics class.”

“Oh,” Woojin said with his brows creased. Seungmin knew the older was worried about him and his _sometimes extreme_ study habits, but he just couldn’t help but feel like he needed to always study so he wouldn’t get left behind.

“Yeah. I think I’m just gonna go out later, go study at some cafe.”

“Okay. Are you still up for dinner, though? Jeongin and Felix are coming.”

“What time is it again?”

“Seven.”

“Yeah, sure,” Seungmin nodded. He wanted to see Jeongin and Felix, too, since he hadn’t seen them in a while even though they all worked at the same pet shop, because the two worked the opening shift along with Chan.

Yang Jeongin was freshman in the same university as well, taking up education. They first met when the younger applied for a job at the pet shop and at that moment Seungmin secretly wished they’d be put in the same shift because, really, Jeongin was cute. After their initial meeting, Seungmin started seeing the younger around the campus a lot more often and as they grew closer, Seungmin’s harmless, little crush on him eventually died down. Now, he just treated Jeongin like he would a younger brother.

Lee Felix was Chan’s cousin who had recently flown in from Australia. Seungmin knew the only reason Woojin had even agreed to hire him was because he wanted to help Chan in any way he could. After only a few days, though, Seungmin already commented on how he thought Woojin already liked Felix a lot more than he liked him—not that Seungmin blamed him, though, because he did really like Felix, too.

“Changbin just left,” Minho announced as he took a seat beside Seungmin and ate the food Woojin prepared for him. “Thanks, hyung,” he mumbled before eating a spoonful of rice. “He said he’s having some friends over later. I didn’t know he had friends other than us.”

“If my only friend was you, I’d try to find someone else, too,” Woojin told Minho. Seungmin laughed out loud, almost spitting out some of his banana milk. If other people told their friends how much they loved them, he and his friends told each other how sick they are of each other—and Seungmin really wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Really funny,” Minho countered. “I’ve seen _Seungminnie_ cry when I left for college, you know? This kid loves me.” He slung an arm around Seungmin’s neck and ruffled his hair a little too roughly. Seungmin, in fact, did _not_ cry when Minho left for college, but he also learned not to call the oler off or swat his hands away anymore and just let him do it, it wasn’t everyday they got to eat breakfast together in a leisurely manner, anyway.

“So,” Woojin started after they had all finished their food. “Have you texted that guy yet?”

“Who?” replied Minho, because clearly the question was for him and not Seungmin. Woojin reminded them of the two guys yesterday when they were about to close the store, one of whom had given out his number to Minho. “Of course, I haven’t. Why would I?”

“I don’t know, hyung,” Seungmin shrugged. “You seemed pretty excited yesterday when you got his number.”

“I was _not_ excited. I was tired. And I’m not texting anyone. Those guys are weird. Besides, does it look like I have time for that?”

“Actually, Changbin was talking about his friend earlier,” said Woojin thoughtfully, choosing not to comment on the defensiveness in Minho’s answer to his previous question. “He said his friend does that, too, so he thought maybe it was a thing for some pet-owners.”

“Hyung, have you ever tried cat food?” Seungmin asked Minho, to which the older just gave a scowl in response. “Just asking,” he amended before Minho could hit him.

 

On his way out the apartment, Seungmin noticed an unfamiliar phone left on the couch. It didn’t look like any of his friends’ phones and he didn’t remember them getting new ones, either. Without asking, he took it and went outside; he figured Changbin must have left it when he went there earlier.

He knocked on Changbin’s door and waited for him to open. “Hyung, you left your—Oh.”

The Cute-slash-Weird Guy was standing by Changbin’s door, smiling at Seungmin. “It’s you!” the guy exclaimed. “I mean, hi! What’s up?”

“Hi. Nothing.”

“Oh, sorry, did you need to talk to Changbin-hyung? He’s in the bathroom, but you could come in, I guess?”

“I was just gonna return his phone.”

“Oh! That’s Jisung’s phone. Thanks!”

“Who?”

“Jisung. The guy I was with yesterday.”

“Oh,” Why that guy’s phone was in their home, Seungmin wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure anymore where this conversation was going, or why he was even having it, either.

“I’m Hyunjin, by the way,” the guy, Hyunjin, reached out his hand, which Seungmin promptly shook. “Hwang Hyunjin.”

“Kim Seungmin.”

“Nice to meet you, Seungmin-ssi. Do you live here?”

“Yeah, just the next door over.” Why he was telling this to a stranger, he also didn’t know. Maybe because said stranger was cute, tall, had really nice ashy brown hair and fair skin, had eyes that crinkled into crescents whenever he smiled—and said stranger was smiling at him now.

“Oh. Cool,” Hyunjin nodded. “The dog treats were good, by the way. I’ve tried them and my dog likes them, too.”

“ _You_ tried them? The dog treats? You mean, you really ate them?”

“Yeah. I can’t give Kkami something to eat without trying it myself first.”

“Oh. Okay…?” Seungmin nodded slowly. _Run!_ he thought to himself. _Run away from Cute-slash-Weird Guy and never come back!_ “Yeah, I gotta go.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the cafe. To study. Why am I telling you this?”

Hyunjin laughed. His laugh was cute, and Seungmin mentally scolded himself for noticing. “I don’t know, Seungmin-ssi.”

“Okay. Bye,” Seungmin raised his hand in an awkward wave. ”Nice meeting you,” he added before heading on his way, not failing to notice the warmth creeping up his face and his heart beating a little faster than it normally did.

 

***

 

“Why are you here again?” Seungmin asked Changbin, who was lounging on the couch where Seungmin eventually sat down, too. “Don’t you have an apartment next door?”

“Seungminnie, Binnie-hyung gets lonely a lot at home,” the older answered in that irritating, high-pitched voice he used whenever he was trying to act cute. Sometimes it was cute, Seungmin had to admit, but most of the time it just pissed him off—like today. It didn’t help that Changbin started clinging onto his arm, too.

“That’s not _my_ problem, hyung,” Seungmin whined, trying but failing to free his arm from Changbin’s grasp. “Don’t you have classes or something? What are you doing here this early?”

It was a weekday, a few minutes before six in the morning. Seungmin could hear the shower running; probably Minho getting ready for his early morning class. Seungmin would be rushing to prepare, too, if he hadn’t checked his emails first and found out that, conveniently, all of his classes that day were cancelled because of some emergency meeting the professors were supposed to have (although Seungmin still didn’t get why they had to schedule a meeting early enough to cancel 8-am’s).

Changbin groaned, finally letting go of Seungmin’s arm just to flop down on his lap. “I just got home,” he explained. “I forgot my keys at Hyunjin’s house ‘cause we were on a rush.”

“So you’re drunk?”

“I’m sober enough to be having this conversation with you.”

“But you’re drunk.” Seungmin felt the need to point out. “Have you told Hyunjin?” When he got no answer except for the older just staring back at him, he grabbed the phone from Changbin’s hand and tried to find Hyunjin’s number, except he didn’t have to because Hyunjin had already left a few texts that Changbin hadn’t read yet. Although the contact wasn’t saved as _Hyunjin_ or any variation of his name, Seungmin was still a hundred percent sure he was texting the right person. He typed out,

_Hello. This is Kim Seungmin, Changbin hyung’s neighbor. He said he left his keys at your place. Can you take them here so hyung can go home? Pls reply asap._

After sending the text, he thought of whether he should have at least greeted him a _good morning_. Or maybe he should send one more text now. He was about to type the words out but then a reply came in.

 **_My most favorite dongsaeng_ ** _: good morning, seungminssi~~  yes i found his keys i was gonna text him too. i cant come over until after lunch tho, would that be ok?_

Did that mean Seungmin had to take care of Changbin until after lunch?

_Yeah, sure. Thanks! And good morning, by the way._

**_My most favorite dongsaeng_ ** _: ok~! see u guys later ^^_

Seungmin heaved a sigh. He wanted to come in to work early that day to squeeze in some more hours, and also to see Felix and Jeongin, but he guessed he now had to make a change of plans.

 

Today’s new schedule included breakfast with Changbin, studying at the cafe with Changbin, lunch with Changbin, taking Changbin with him to the store (until his friend arrived with his keys to pick him up and take him home)—all of these, Seungmin was supposed to do alone today until Changbin showed up. It was annoying, yes, but Seungmin was a decent enough person to admit to himself that he had also bothered Changbin quite a bit during the few years that they had known each other, mostly those times he had forced Changbin to split food delivery with him when Minho and Woojin weren’t around.

He guessed it was still a little better than him just ending up studying his ass off the whole morning because he wanted to get out of uni as fast as he could. _That_ , and maybe try hard not to think about how Woojin was already out and Minho was almost out of uni, too. His friends were rapidly moving on with their lives and he was stuck here, studying—or taking care of his neighbor, rather.

At least today he could make Changbin pay for his food and coffee.

 

Sure enough, Seungmin was able to make Changbin pay for their food without having to do much convincing. Changbin had just given Seungmin his card and let the younger order anything he wanted, but of course, Seungmin was still enough of a decent human to not actually take _unnecessary_ advantage of Changbin and his hungover state.

After a hearty lunch courtesy of his neighbor _and friend_ Seo Changbin, Seungmin headed to the pet store (with said neighbor and friend). Felix was still there when they arrived, already changed out of his uniform and waiting for Seungmin.

“Hi, Seungmin!” Felix greeted in his usual cheerful manner, his blond hair bouncing when he looked up from his phone. “How are you?”

Seungmin smiled at his co-worker. “Hey, there. I’m good. This is Changbin-hyung, by the way. He’s my neighbor and he locked himself out of his apartment.”

“Oh. That’s unfortunate,” the blond-haired male replied. “Hello, Changbin-ssi. I’m Felix, I work here with Seungmin, and I’m sorry but I have to go now.” He gave Seungmin a tight hug as soon as the latter had changed into his uniform, before exiting the shop and leaving Seungmin hoping not to encounter weird customers just as he did for the past week or so, ever since he had first encountered Hyunjin, especially now that he was alone at the shop (well, Changbin was there, but he didn’t exactly work there so he didn’t count).

Fortunately, the day had been as normal and as boring as any other normal and boring day.. Changbin left about an hour after Felix did because Hyunjin was already outside of the building and the older didn’t want his friend to come out of the car anymore, which Seungmin was thankful for because, for some stupid reason, Hwang Hyunjin made him nervous.

Now, Seungmin was alone at the store, because Minho and Woojin both weren’t coming in. It wasn’t a problem, really, since there wasn’t really much that happened at the store. The only thing that fairly saddened him was how busy his best friends were getting each day.

Minho had been becoming more and more preoccupied because of his increasing load of requirements and the pressure of graduating, since it was hopefully his last semester in college. Minho had also told them that once he graduates, or even before that, he would have to quit his part-time job at the pet store because he was planning on going abroad for further studies or a job. “I’m still not sure, though,” was what Minho had said when Seungmin’s face visibly fell upon hearing the news.

Woojin had also been a lot more busy the past few weeks, since he got a job teaching at a piano _hagwon_ , which also meant that he was more frequently not able to fill his duty at the store, either. “You should just close the store,” Seungmin had jokingly said one evening while they were having dinner. He didn’t really expect Woojin to actually agree and say he was going to talk to his dad about it.

If Seungmin were to be honest, none of them really needed the job, anyway. They just wanted something to add to their résumés, and since Woojin’s dad let Woojin do most of the work, it seemed like a good plan. Whatever Woojin’s family’s plans were concerning the store, it wasn’t going to be much of a bother to Seungmin, anyway.

 

The good thing about having close to no customers everyday was that Seungmin could always find time to read whenever he was at work. He knew it wasn’t exactly the best ethic, but rather than falling asleep he would rather try to study. Besides, reading and studying made time pass by quicker, and before Seungmin knew it, he only had to wait a few more minutes until he could close the store and call it a day.

But then (again) someone came in. It was (again) Hyunjin. _Great_ , he thought to himself as he felt his heart rate slightly quicken. _Him again. This again._

“Hi,” Hyunjin greeted him with a smile.

Seungmin just smiled and nodded in return, trying to ignore the weird feeling in his stomach. Why did Changbin’s friend have to be _this_ cute? And why was Minho not there right now? Sighing, he watched as Hyunjin made his way to the same aisle he went to as the first time and then walked back towards Seungmin.

“I’ll take these.” Hyunjin placed a couple packets of dog treats and a bag of dog food on the counter and handed over his card.

After swiping the card on the machine, a few presses on the keyboard, and shoving the products into a paper bag before handing them back to Hyunjin, expecting the male to leave, Seungmin was almost excited to close the shop.

But Hyunjin was still there.

And Seungmin didn’t know why, so, naturally, he asked (rather passive-aggressively, Minho would’ve commented if he were there), “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Do you need a ride home?” Hyunjin asked suddenly, taking Seungmin by surprise. Was Hyunjin, practically a stranger, one who ate dog food at that, offering him a ride home? “I was gonna go back to Changbin-hyung’s place because I forgot something. Just, you know, maybe you need a ride?”

_What?_

Cute-Slash-Weird Guy was _really_ , _actually_ offering him a ride. A part of him wanted to say yes. A part of him wanted to run away, because who knows what else this guy ate during his free time?

“Thanks,” Seungmin said, “but I still have a few things I need to do later.”

“Oh. Okay, then. I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah. Drive safely, I guess.”

“Thank you, Seungmin-ssi!”

 

Seungmin did, in fact, have a few more things he had to do after closing up the store. One would be grocery shopping with Minho, except Minho was still in uni, so he still had to wait maybe an hour or so. Luckily, another one of _these_ things is studying. So while he waited for Minho at the small cafe nearby, he conveniently studied for the international law lecture series he was taking this semester.

The male was silently reading his textbook and sipping on his iced caramel macchiato when he heard someone clear his throat. His immediate thought was that, clearly, this person wasn’t Minho because Minho wouldn’t just discreetly clear his throat to get someone’s attention, especially Seungmin’s. Second thought was, who the fuck would need to disturb him while he was studying when clearly there were a lot of empty seats left?

And then he looked up.

_Oh._

It was him. Again.

 _Are you following me?_ Seungmin wanted to ask. But he didn’t, because Hyunjin was smiling at him again with his cute crescent eyes and pretty lips and as much as this annoyed and weirded Seungmin out, he really liked the way Hyunjin smiled.

“What are you doing here?” he asked instead. “I thought you were at Changbin-hyung’s?”

“I _was_ ,” Hyunjin answered. “May I sit here?” Seungmin nodded. “Now, I’m waiting for Jisung to finish his date so we could go home.”

“Shouldn’t his date take him home?”

“I think that would be inconvenient because his date lives around here.”

“Isn’t that inconvenient for your friend, too?”

“On a normal day, yes,” Hyunjin shrugged. “But we’re already here so he might as well enjoy his time.”

Seungmin wanted to ask if these people had nothing better to do than to drive around and go on dates and disturb people, but he figured that might be rude, so he asked the next, less rude question he could think of. “You really drive your friends around?”

Hyunjin nodded.

 _Admirable_ , Seungmin thought. He probably wouldn’t drive people around unless it were extremely convenient for him. “Your friends must be really lucky, huh?” he said, thinking back to how the other male drove Changbin home last night, and then went back to the shop just to give him back his keys, which, in Seungmin’s opinion, Changbin should’ve gone for at his friend’s house instead and not the other way around.

Maybe Cute-slash-Weird Guy was actually Cute-slash-Weird-slash-Nice Guy.

“I think we’re all lucky,” Hyunjin shrugged. “My friends and I, I mean. You know, friendship isn’t one-sided. There are things they do for me that I can’t do for them, and then there are things I do for them, like _driving them around_ and making sure they get home safe.”

 _Okay. Cute-slash-Weird-slash-Nice-slash-Thoughtful Guy_.

“I’m sure your friends think the same, too,” Hyunjin added.

Seungmin almost laughed out loud. “Minho hyung would never,” he said, even though Hyunjin probably had no idea who Minho was. Seungmin proceeded on to tell Hyunjin how he thought Minho would tell everyone else that they were lucky they were friends with him.

Maybe it was because Hyunjin’s laugh was cute, or Hyunjin generally was cute, or that he seemed like he was genuinely interested in what Seungmin was saying, he wasn’t entirely sure, but soon enough, Seungmin found himself forgetting all about his textbook and focusing instead on the conversation he was having with Hyunjin.

He learned that Hyunjin went to a different university in Seoul and studied Interior Design. His friend Jisung went there, too, but was in a different degree program. Apparently, Hyunjin had known Changbin since he was a child, and they went to school together until they had to go to separate universities for college, although Changbin was a year his senior. Hyunjin also said he met Jisung during high school, and they had been inseparable since.

Hyunjin also told Seungmin a lot about his dog, Kkami, and how he had been taking care of him since he was sixteen and had ever since been making sure that everything he ate was safe. Maybe Seungmin was still weirded out by the fact that this person ate dog food on his own accord, but the initial shock was gone and he was genuinely trying to be more understanding that this person just wanted what was best for his dog. Maybe Seungmin even found it adorable, too.

Seungmin then talked about how he had been friends with Minho and Woojin since he was a child, too.

Woojin and Minho were already friends when Seungmin had met them. He was four at that time, and he was chasing a stray cat down the street until the cat jumped up onto a roof and Seungmin remembered crying because he thought he had lost the cat forever. Then came Woojin and Minho, riding their bikes, asking Seungmin what was wrong but Seungmin was just crying. He didn’t remember how long he cried for but he remembered, very clearly, how Minho took out a bottle of banana milk from his pocket to give to him, how Minho and Woojin sat down on both of his sides and waited for him to calm down and stop crying before walking with him back to his house. Seungmin didn’t even get their names that day; he just knew that they stayed with him until he wasn’t sad anymore, and that had been enough for four-year-old Kim Seungmin.

Up to this day, really, that was still enough for Seungmin.

 

***

 

Having classes early in the morning was one thing. Having said classes called off when Seungmin was already in campus was another thing, one that he didn’t appreciate but could do nothing about, anyway. To make better use of his time, he decided to just get himself some coffee (again) at the small cafe near campus and wait until his next class.

 

It shouldn’t have been a surprise to Seungmin by now, really, when he saw Hyunjin walking towards him while he was peacefully sitting down and trying to read.

“Seungmin-ssi,” Hyunjin greeted enthusiastically, like it wasn’t early in the morning and Seungmin’s professor hadn’t decided to call off their lecture at the last minute. “Good morning.”

“Don’t you have classes?” Seungmin asked the other. He was aware that he was being a little rude to Changbin’s friend, he didn’t even bother to say hi, but he couldn't help it. Ever since the first time they had seen each other, Hyunjin just seemed to pop up everywhere Seungmin went.

Hyunjin seemed unfazed, though. He was still smiling when he answered, “I do, but we don’t really do a lot of lectures now. We’re mostly just given time to work on stuff.”

“So you drive early mornings to this cafe?”

“No.” He sat down on the seat opposite Seungmin without asking; not that Seungmin would shoo him off for doing that, but it just seemed important to note that Hyunjin was at least _this_ comfortable around him now. “I slept at Changbin-hyung’s, then I drove him to uni. I thought I might as well get some coffee.”

“Aren’t there coffee shops near your house?”

Hyunjin looked at him funnily, as if he didn’t really understand what Seungmin was asking. “There are,” he said. “But I need coffee _before_ driving.”

 _Oh_ , _that actually makes sense_ , Seungmin thought, but he didn’t tell Hyunjin that. Instead, he asked, “Have you always been coming here? How come I only saw you around, like, a few weeks ago?”

“No. You know that day I first went to the pet store? That’s the first time I’ve ever gone here. We got a bit lost that day, too, actually,” Hyunjin explained, giggling at the memory. “Changbin-hyung used to go to my university a lot, you know? Sometimes we’d meet halfway, but he’s been really busy these couple months and I’m usually the one who needs help, anyway, so when he stopped coming to the university, I asked if I could just come over instead.”

“Oh.” Seungmin replied. Changbin did seem to be a lot more busy the past month, although lately Seungmin noticed that the older had been staying home a lot, too.

Seungmin would never admit it, but it bothered him slightly, how close Hyunjin and Changbin seemed according to the former’s stories and according to Seungmin’s own observation. He couldn’t help but wonder, too, if there was something more to their friendship.

“You seem to rely on him a lot,” he told Hyunjin.

“I do. I always have,” he replied with a fond smile. It just made Seungmin more curious about their closeness. “I’m starting to think I’m being too reliant, really. I’m always bothering him, asking for his help, asking for favors, and he’s just always, always, _always_ willing to help me out.”

“I don’t think being reliant on your friends is bad,” Seungmin found himself saying, as if reassuring this guy he practically just met was something he felt like he needed to do. “As long as they can rely on you, too—which I’m pretty sure they can. You said so yourself, right? Friendship isn’t supposed to be one-sided.”

“Wow,” Hyunjin laughed, and had it been any other person, Seungmin would’ve been offended. “I didn’t even think you’d remember that.”

 _I didn’t think so, too_ , Seungmin thought, but instead he said, “What do you take me for?”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I’m just not used to people paying _that_ much attention to what I say. And it’s true, by the way. I think Changbin-hyung really needs a shoulder to rely on, especially these days.”

“Yeah, I guess. I mean, thesis in Design? That has to be hard. Too much subjective commentary.”

If there was one thing Seungmin really liked about his own degree, it would be that it was straight-forward. Studying the law, memorizing articles and dates and names and a lot of other things, but at least they were absolute. No matter what people might think and say, if it was the law and if it was what was written, then it was what was right.

He could only imagine the struggle of trying to come up with ideas that would please himself, his professors, his peers, the public even. Changbin and Hyunjin must have it a lot harder than Seungmin did.

“Well, yes, _that_.” Hyunjin’s voice broke through his thoughts. “But I think hyung just really needs company.”

“Why?” Seungmin asked, not able to stop his curiosity. He remembered what Changbin had told him just the other day, _“Seungminnie, Binnie-hyung gets lonely a lot at home.”_ Seungmin had thought the older was only being his normal, albeit drunk, annoying self, thus replying with his usual, sometimes rude, remarks.

Hyunjin seemed to mull it over for a while, before answering, slowly, “I’m not sure if I should tell you thi—.”

“Then don’t?”

“Hyung and his girlfriend recently broke up.”

“What?!” Seungmin blurted out, attracting the attention of people nearby. He didn’t care, though. It was an actual shock.

“I know, right? They seemed pretty in love—.”

“Changbin-hyung has a girlfriend?”

“Well, _had_ , and _girlfriends_. But the most recent one—wait, did you not know?”

“Does it look like I did?”

“I mean, you practically live together, so I assumed…”

 _That’s why we shouldn’t assume things_ , Seungmin almost said, but was able to stop himself. How come he never knew about Changbin having a girlfriend? And here he was, thinking that Changbin and Hyunjin were actually together—although it could still be possible, because it was an ex-girlfriend, anyway. He wondered if Minho and Woojin knew about it, or if they were as clueless as Seungmin was.

It made sense, though, if he were to think about why Changbin had gone home drunk one morning and why he had been holing himself up at home the past week. He also thought about how he had probably been too harsh on Changbin and knew he had to say sorry but he didn’t even know if he was supposed to know about this whole situation at all.

After sitting in silence for what seemed like hours, Seungmin couldn’t hold his curiosity in anymore. “Can I ask what happened?” he prodded.

“I’m not sure what exactly happened,” Hyunjin answered, slowly, taking his time and choosing his words carefully. “I guess, just different goals? Different priorities at the moment, maybe? Not seeing each other regularly, especially since Soyeon-noona started working. But I think it started getting rocky even before that, since noona’s been very busy and Changbin-hyung couldn’t visit that much.”

Jeon Soyeon, according to Hyunjin, was someone they had also gone to high school with. She was a year Changbin’s senior (same age as Minho, Seungmin noted). Changbin had apparently been crushing on her since his junior year, Soyeon’s senior year, but the two had only gotten together during Changbin’s first year in university. Hyunjin prided himself that it was thanks to him that Changbin even had the chance to see Soyeon again, because if Hyunjin hadn’t dragged Changbin along with him and Jisung to check out potential universities, then Changbin wouldn’t have met Soyeon again.

Hyunjin, sadly, also blamed himself for the two breaking up, which Seungmin really didn’t understand but chose not to comment on further and choosing instead to comment on what saddened him the most about the whole story. “That’s, what, three years? That’s… a shame.”

“I know,” Hyunjin agreed, sighing. “I really liked Soyeon-noona, too. Anyway, just, please don’t tell Changbin-hyung I told you about all this.”

“Sure, promise I won’t,” Seungmin said softly, offering the other male a smile to try and lighten up the mood again. He even thought about giving his back a pat, but ultimately decided against it because they weren’t close enough for that yet.

 

When Seungmin got home that day, he couldn’t help but think about how sad breaking up after three, long years would feel. Falling out of love was a thing he couldn’t say he had ever felt, even though he _had_ been in a few relationships before, but a lot shorter ones at that.

Maybe Changbin and his ex were just not willing to try and work things out, or maybe they had actually tried but still failed. Maybe they were both just tired. Maybe one of them, or both them, just rushed into the relationship without thinking that much about the effort and commitment it would have to take and now the toll was too much for them.

Whatever their reason was, this news had just made Seungmin’s resolve, to never commit to anything he wasn’t sure he was willing to put in as much work as what was needed, much stronger.

 

***

 

It was late one Sunday morning, almost noon, when Seungmin woke up and found a note from Woojin pinned on their fridge by a magnet, saying he was going to be out the whole day, and a text from Minho, saying he would be out and didn’t know what time he would be back, as well.

Usually, being home alone on a weekend would call for a thorough study session by himself. Today, though, Seungmin didn’t really feel like studying because, unlike what his friends believed, he actually gave himself breaks from studying. That wouldn’t have been a problem, too, except today, Seungmin also didn’t really feel like being alone, so without even changing out of his pajamas, he went outside their apartment and knocked on Changbin’s door.

He expected Changbin to answer the door like he usually did during weekend afternoons. He wasn’t expecting Hyunjin, dressed in just a shirt and sweatpants, to be the one answering the door.

“Seungmin?”

“Hey,” Seungmin answered awkwardly. He didn’t remember when they started addressing each other informally, but somehow during the past few days since their small conversation at the cafe, Hyunjin had asked Seungmin if he would be comfortable with it. “Hyunjin. Uh, is Changbin hyung there?”

“Yes. Did you need something?”

“Oh. I was just wondering if I could hang out?” Normally, he didn’t even have to ask because Changbin would just open the door for him to come in. Now, though, he was thinking twice if he should still come over, since Hyunjin was there…

“Seungminnie!” Changbin suddenly appeared behind Hyunjin. “Did Jinnie not let you in?”

“No, no—I mean, yes? He was about to let me in?”

“Jinnie, don’t be rude to my neighbor,” Changbin told the other off, giving him a playful smack on the arm before opening the door wide enough for Seungmin to come in.

Seungmin was usually comfortable inside Changbin’s apartment; he would lie down on the couch, watch TV, sometimes check the fridge for food, basically the same things Changbin did whenever he came over to Seungmin’s apartment, too. But today Hyunjin was the one sitting on the couch, eating chicken while watching TV, and Seungmin suddenly felt like he shouldn’t be there.

“Seungminnie,” Changbin called from the kitchen, again in that annoyingly high-pitched voice he liked to use when teasing Seungmin. “Did they leave you alone again? And you need hyungie to keep you company?”

See, if Changbin had asked Seungmin this a few days back before Seungmin was aware of Changbin’s post-break up state, the younger would’ve scowled and tried to leave the apartment until Changbin was pulling him back and saying sorry. But Seungmin had really been trying to be nicer to him because he couldn’t really imagine how much stress Changbin was going through.

One day, Changbin had even been suspicious of why Seungmin was acting really nice, and Seungmin had just rolled his eyes and asked if Changbin didn’t want him to be nice. “It’s weird, Seungmin-ah,” Changbin had told him. Then Seungmin realized that that was probably why he (and Minho and Woojin, too, probably) were not told about the break up—he and Minho were the ones whom he bantered with the most, and them suddenly acting nice would probably feel too unnatural for Changbin. At that particular moment, Seungmin decided he needed to have more respect for Changbin, because the older was a lot stronger and kinder than he gave him credit for. Unfortunately, Seungmin also sometimes found himself in a dilemma because he didn’t always know when he was being too nice or too rude.

“Minho hyung’s out with Jisung again,” Seungmin explained, heaving a sigh as he sat down beside Hyunjin on the couch. Then he rolled his eyes, because that was his actual, natural instinct when it came to Changbin and his remarks. “I wouldn’t even be here if that weren’t the case,” he added.

“Wow, they’re pretty serious, huh?” Changbin commented.

Minho, despite insisting that he didn’t have time for dating and relationships, had actually texted Jisung. Seungmin wouldn’t even have found out about it if Jisung hadn’t shown up together with him at the cafe that one night Seungmin and Hyunjin were both waiting for the other two. Apparently, the two had gone on a few dates even before that night; Minho told Seungmin when they were finally shopping for groceries that he wasn’t really planning on actually dating Jisung, but then he really enjoyed their first date. “I really like him, Seungminnie,” Minho had said while Seungmin was reaching for a tray of eggs. “Good for you, then,” was what Seungmin had replied.

The truth was, Seungmin was happy for his best friend. He knew Minho was more than a little stressed with his studies even though he tried to hide it, so having Jisung around would be good for him. Besides, if Minho was happy, then Seungmin was happy.

It turned out that Hyunjin and Changbin already knew that Jisung was dating someone, too, but they didn’t know who that someone was since Jisung had not yet gotten around to formally introducing them. Minho, too, which was why they were all trying to free up their schedules for lunch or dinner one of these days.

Today was clearly not that day.

“They are,” Seungmin answered. He looked to the male beside him, “I’m guessing that’s why you’re here, too?”

“Yes,” Hyunjin answered. “That, and Changbin hyung’s supposed to help me with this plate but suddenly he has to leave.”

“Wait, what? You’re leaving?” Seungmin whipped his head back to Changbin. That explained why the older wasn’t wearing his usual weekend-attire of a muscle tee and sweatpants and was instead wearing a collared shirt and dark jeans.

“Yeah,” Changbin replied. “I know you’ll miss me, Seungminnie, but I have an appointment with my thesis adviser.”

Changbin was leaving.

“Oh,” Seungmin said.

He was leaving Seungmin alone.

“Don’t worry, Hyunjin’s gonna be here,” the older assured him.

Alone with Hyunjin.

“Good to know.”

Hwang Hyunjin, Cute-slash-Weird-slash-Nice-slash-Thoughtful Guy.

Seungmin wasn’t sure if he liked it or not.

 

“I should probably leave, too,” Seungmin suggested when a few minutes had passed after Changbin left. He figured Hyunjin would want to start working on his plates and he wouldn’t want Seungmin to sit there awkwardly, watching him, or something.

Seungmin was about to stand up, but Hyunjin suddenly placed a hand on his arm. “No,” the other male said with a pout. “Stay. Don’t you wanna hang out? Are you gonna leave me here alone, too?”

“I—I didn’t mean—.”

Hyunjin only laughed at Seungmin’s flustered state; clearly he was enjoying this. “I’m kidding,” he said. “If you have to go, it’s okay.”

“That’s uncharacteristically passive-aggressive of you,” Seungmin noted. “Give me that remote. If I’m staying I’m choosing the movie.”

Maybe Seungmin’s blush was not exactly discreet, and the way his heart was beating faster was not exactly silent, and the stupid smile on his face was not exactly unnoticeable, but that afternoon, he stayed with Hyunjin until they finished an entire box of fried chicken and sat through two and a half films without actually watching and instead just talking until they fell asleep leaning on each other’s shoulders with their feet curled up under the blanket they snatched from Changbin’s bedroom.

And maybe when, sometime during the evening, Seungmin woke up to the sound of the front door creaking open, vaguely registering Changbin entering with another person, and he felt Hyunjin’s arm around him, he snuggled even closer and wrapped his own arms around Hyunjin, too.

 

***

 

“Hyung, I swear, if you brought me here just to make me your third-wheel, I’m gonna spill water on your bed,” Seungmin whined—or taunted, rather, in a very whiny manner.

Minho had the wonderful idea of forcing Seungmin to go to the mall with him and Jisung one evening, saying it would be a great chance for Seungmin and Jisung to get to know each other more, since they were technically also best friends now through osmosis. “That does _not_ even make sense, hyung,” was what a tired and sleepy Seungmin said as Minho pulled him out of bed.

And yet here he was, walking lazily around the mall with Minho beside him, both of them just trailing behind Jisung, who was definitely the most excited out of all of them—too excited, even, in Seungmin’s opinion.

“You’re _not_ third-wheeling,” Minho explained in his matter-of-factly manner that sometimes annoyed Seungmin. “I brought you here so we could pretend not to know him.”

Seungmin had to laugh at that. He and Minho had just been following the other around, watching him point and stare, wide-eyed, at anything that piqued his interest. It was fascinating, Seungmin had to admit. Jisung was like a kid discovering a lot of new things that were unknown to him, even though Seungmin was sure Jisung had definitely seen clothes and toys before. Maybe Seungmin understood what Minho saw in Jisung; the male was like the human-form of energy, always seeming excited and interested in the things around him.

Sometime during their tiring stroll, while still following Jisung around, Seungmin made the mistake of looking at Minho. Minho was looking at Jisung so fondly, so tenderly, that Seungmin really just had to make a gagging noise and pretend to vomit even if it meant an automatic smack on the back of his head from the older.

“Just you wait,” said Minho as he draped and arm around the younger’s shoulders. “I’ll be making weirder, louder, more obnoxious noises once you get a boyfriend.”

Seungmin scoffed. “Sure,” he said with an eye-roll. “If you’re still around, that is.”

“Pretty sure I’ll be still be around when that happens,” Minho said with a wink, and Seungmin had to push him away because he had had too much of Minho’s antics for the day. Also, because Minho was teasing him and it ticked him off. The older just laughed and went to walk beside Jisung, wrapping an arm around his waist.

 _Great_ , Seungmin thought. _Third-wheeling, it is._

Minho was at least kind enough to go back beside Seungmin again after a while. The two were now back to just trailing quietly a few steps behind Jisung, when the latter suddenly stopped in his tracks and started waving his hands up in the air excitedly.

“Is this the part where we pretend not to know him?” Seungmin asked. He looked at Minho, expecting a witty answer, but instead Minho was just looking ahead, his mouth slightly agape then slowly turning into a smile. “What—?”

“Jisung!” a familiar voice called. “Seungmin! Minho-ssi!”

“Hi,” Seungmin greeted. Minho smiled and raised his hand before turning back to Seungmin with a stupid smile on his face. “What now?” Seungmin demanded. Minho just shrugged.

The two were now trailing behind Jisung _and_ Hyunjin, Seungmin now had a weird feeling in his stomach, and Minho still had that stupid smile on his face.

“You seem to be enjoying this too much, huh, hyung?” Seungmin commented.

Minho, much to Seungmin’s agitation, bent forward with his hands on his knees and started making gagging noises. Seungmin quickly put his hand on Minho’s mouth, stopping him. When Jisung and Hyunjin turned around to see what the noise was about, the scene they found was just Minho cackling and Seungmin wiping his palms on his jeans, scowling at the older.

“Let’s go eat,” Minho announced, draping an arm over Seungmin’s shoulder once again, as if he hadn’t just attempted to bite the younger’s hand earlier. “Seungminnie,” he whispered in Seungmin’s ear, “you should take me out with _your boyfriend_ , too, next time.”

Seungmin just grunted, struggling to get away from Minho’s arm.

“Do it before I leave,” Minho added, before finally letting Seungmin go and walking to Jisung’s side, where he walked hand in hand with the younger.

“Hey,” Hyunjin, who was now walking by Seungmin’s side, greeted again, smiling, making the latter’s cheeks warmer than they should be. But, at least, Hyunjin was here now.

 

***

 

There wasn’t really much that Seungmin looked forward to at the end of each day. Closing up the store, maybe; going home and eating dinner with his best friends and sometimes Changbin, too; the occasional night out or get-together with some other friends. Some might say his life was boring, that he should go out more, that if he wanted to _get the full university experience_ then he should stop spending all of his time on studying and working.

But Seungmin already felt like he was getting the _full university experience_. Too many requirements all at once; three academic papers all due on the same date; scary professors who were too strict and professors who barely even taught; college seniors who had been giving him tips from the start on how to survive; a part-time job. He didn’t really think he needed anything more to add to his already full plate—except maybe a boyfriend.

He would be lying if he said he had never thought about it—about holding someone’s hand while strolling around the campus, having someone to always eat lunch with and go on cute coffee dates with, having someone to brag about on social media. But he knew these thoughts were going to make him lag behind, and that wasn’t okay.

Sometimes, he wondered how his friends even had the time and strength and commitment needed when dating. But Minho was Minho; he was good at everything he did, barely needed time to study because he was naturally gifted with everything he might ever need to survive in college. And Woojin was Woojin, rich, already had a business waiting for him before he had even started college. It wasn’t that Seungmin thought those were the only reasons his friends had time to date—maybe they were just really good at managing their time and relationships—but those were definitely a huge factor.

Unlike his friends, Seungmin had always, _always_ had to work hard to reach the goals he set for himself. And if he wanted to become a prosecutor like his father, he would really have to dedicate most of his time and effort into achieving this.

That didn’t stop him from developing a crush on Hwang Hyunjin, though.

It was nothing, really. Just a tiny, little, harmless crush on his neighbor’s friend. No big deal. It would go away soon, as if nothing happened. No one else had to know. Not Minho. Not Woojin. Certainly not Changbin.

Also, definitely, not the guy in front of him, smiling at him while paying for more dog treats.

“You really like these, huh?” Minho asked as he stuffed the packets into a paper bag. “I mean, _you_. You like these.”

“They’re okay, I guess,” Hyunjin answered thoughtfully, “but Kkami loves them. That’s what matters.”

Seungmin swore he could’ve predicted what his friend would say next. _Of course, Kkami loves them; they’re meant for dogs_ —something along those lines. So he made sure to discreetly nudge Minho’s shoulder before the older could say it.

“I’ll buy Jisung nuts next time, too,” Minho said instead. “Squirrels like nuts, right?”

Hyunjin giggled. It was really, _really_ cute and adorable, if Seungmin were asked. “Yes, they do, but Jisung doesn’t really like those,” Hyunjin said after picking up his paper bag full of treats. “He loves strawberries, though, and cheesecake. You should get him those.”

Then he smiled at each of them and left.

“Wow,” Woojin commented when Hyunjin was gone. “He’s moved on from being a weird customer to a weird customer who gives Minho tips on how to woo his boyfriend.”

“Maybe you two should give Jisung tips on how to woo me instead.”

“Jisung does _not_ need tips from us, hyung,” Seungmin retorted. “He could just smile at you and you’d fall on your knees.”

Woojin was quick to agree. “That’s true. I’ve seen it happen.”

“You have _not_ ,” Minho said, pointing a finger at both of his friends. “And I am _not_ falling on my knees for—.”

“Minho-hyung!” Jisung suddenly came bouncing inside the store before making a halt in front of Minho (and Seungmin, who was beside Minho).

“Jisungie,” the older replied in a much gentler and subdued tone he had only ever used on Seungmin when he needed a huge favor. “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see you. And—” Jisung placed a plastic bag that was clearly from the nearby convenience store on top of the counter, “—I brought you something, since you said you haven’t had lunch yet.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“You could just thank me, you know,” the younger replied with a cheeky grin. “I gotta go now, Jinnie’s waiting outside. Bye, hyung! Woojin-hyung, Seungmin!” Jisung hurried for the exit but turned around before leaving. “Oh, I almost forgot, Jinnie said the boiled eggs are for Seungmin.”

The scene happened too fast: the rapid change in Minho’s voice and expression, Jisung dropping by with food for Minho and the brief moment of eye contact Seungmin made with Woojin, Seungmin thinking he really had no idea that Minho and Jisung were _this_ serious, and _Jinnie said the boiled eggs are for Seungmin._

What a dumb, stupid thing for his heart to flutter.

He had just mentioned once that he liked eggs in passing but Hyunjin actually remembered.

What a dumb, stupid, cute, thoughtful, sweet thing for his heart to flutter.

Seungmin was still mentally scolding himself for being like this and feeling whatever it was that he was feeling, when Woojin placed the pack of eggs down in front of him, imitating Jisung, in an annoying teasing tone that would’ve warranted a smack on the back of his head if he weren’t older for three years, “Jinnie said the boiled eggs are for Seungmin.”

 

***

 

Seungmin found himself alone again one afternoon, idly scrolling through his food delivery app, looking for anything appetizing, since he was feeling too lazy to try and cook something for himself. He was about to click on the menu for chicken when heard a knock on the door.

He wasn’t expecting a visitor, and he was pretty sure Minho and Woojin were both coming home late today, so he was surprised to see Hyunjin standing in front of him once he opened the door.

And Hyunjin was wearing just a shirt and sweatpants again, and something about it just struck Seungmin as awfully domestic, like maybe this was how Hyunjin would always dress if they lived together. Seungmin wasn’t entirely sure where that thought came from, but _maybe_ he was not opposed to it, either.

“Are you okay?” Hyunjin asked, waving a hand in front of him.

Seungmin shook his head. “What?” he replied. He realized he had been staring at Hyunjin the entire time and now he had to play it cool and act like nothing happened. “Yes, of course. What was it you needed again?”

“I was wondering if Changbin-hyung’s there?”

“He’s not here. Is he not at home?”

“Oh. Okay.”

“I have something for you, by the way,” Seungmin said a little too excitedly in an attempt to change the topic. He handed Hyunjin a paper bag full of different dog treats he had bought one day when he was out with Felix and Jeongin and they’d decided to take a peek inside other pet stores just for fun. He bought literally every brand of dog treat he knew they didn’t sell at their store. Felix had asked him excitedly if he had recently gotten a dog, to which he answered no and the treats were for his friend’s dog instead. “Well, they’re for _your dog_ , not for you, but, yeah. I’m not sure if Kkami even likes those or if he’s tried them before but—oh my god, are you crying? Hyunjin, why are you crying? Are those brands bad? I’m sorry—.”

He was cut short when Hyunjin suddenly pulled him into a hug. Normally, Seungmin would pull back if someone he wasn’t _that_ close with hugged him, but this was Hyunjin. Soft, cute, adorable Hyunjin. And Hyunjin was crying. And Seungmin didn’t know why.

“Thanks,” Hyunjin whispered, still not letting go of Seungmin or the paper bag he was clenching in his fist. “Thank you, Seungminnie.”

Seungmin slowly, carefully brought his arms up and wrapped them around Hyunjin, too, rubbing his back soothingly. “Hyunjin, are you okay?” he asked softly.

“Yeah,” Hyunjin said with a laugh, although Seungmin could clearly tell he was still crying. “It’s just—uni’s been too much lately. I have all these plates to finish and lectures to attend and papers to write and Changbin-hyung hasn’t been around much to help me lately and I don’t wanna be a bother anymore and Jisungie’s also busy because he wants to spend as much time with Minho-hyung before he goes abroad and I feel like my professors and my parents aren’t satisfied with what I’m doing lately and—,” he paused to take a deep breath. “It’s just been too much lately.”

“It’s okay,” Seungmin spoke as softly as he could. “It’s gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

Hyunjin pulled away first. “Sorry,” he said, sniffing. “I don’t normally break down in front of people.”

“It’s okay. It happens.”

“Thank you, by the way. For the dog treats, too.”

“It’s no problem.”

The two stood by the doorway for a while, awkwardly trying to avoid each other’s eyes. It was Hyunjin who spoke up first after wiping at his tear-stained face. “I guess I’ll be going now,” he said.

“Do you wanna come in for a while?” Seungmin blurted out before he could think too much about it. Inviting a friend inside his house wasn’t weird, right? And Hyunjin was his friend. But Hyunjin seemed surprised. “I mean,” Seungmin added hastily, “I’m guessing Changbin-hyung’s apartment is locked and maybe you wanna wait for him for a bit?”

Hyunjin finally smiled, that smile that sent Seungmin’s heart fluttering in his chest. “Sure,” Hyunjin said. “Would it be okay, though? Aren’t your friends there?”

“No, they’re out,” Seungmin informed the other while holding the door open for him. “And even if they were here, I’m sure it’s okay. They’re nice people, don’t worry.”

“They _do_ seem nice. You all do.”

“Well, thanks, but we’re not actually _that_ nice. Just nice enough to tolerate each other,” Seungmin said, even though clearly he had been stressing over the fact that his friends were leaving soon. “Do you want something to drink?”

“Water would be nice, thanks.”

Seungmin walked back to the living room, where Hyunjin was sitting a little too tense on the couch, with a glass of water in his hands which he handed to Hyunjin before sitting down beside him.

“Thanks,” Hyunjin said, finishing it all in one go. Seungmin thought he must be dehydrated from crying, so he was about to get up and get his friend more water when Hyunjin suddenly lied down on the couch, placing his head comfortably on Seungmin’s lap.

Seungmin tensed. He only ever let Jeongin and Felix (and Changbin when he was drunk) do this, but he guessed he could make another exception for Hyunjin. After all, he seemed like he really needed some comfort right now.

After a while, Seungmin had finally relaxed and Hyunjin was lightly snoring on his lap. The male looked cute even while sleeping, although his eyes still looked slightly puffy from crying earlier. Seungmin found himself smiling down at Hyunjin, he also found himself lightly tracing circles on Hyunjin’s cheek with his fingertips and his smile only grew when Hyunjin smiled slightly in his sleep and tried to snuggle closer. He also, carefully, carded his fingers in Hyunjin’s hair—something he had definitely imagined doing but would never tell anyone about.

He waited a few minutes, just to be sure Hyunjin’s sleep was deep enough, before reaching over carefully to get the textbook he had put down earlier on the coffee table. He held the book with one hand, while the other hand gently stroked Hyunjin’s hair. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable position, he had to admit, but it felt really nice. It almost felt _natural_ , even.

He had been reading for what felt like hours, occasionally looking down at Hyunjin and smiling softly, his hunger and food delivery app long forgotten, when Woojin and Minho got home. Seungmin looked over to the two; Woojin gave him a slightly confused look with a smile playing on his lips, and Minho gave him an infinitely irritating smirk, wiggling his eyebrows, and Seungmin almost threw his textbook at him.

 

Seungmin didn’t know when he had fallen asleep, but when he woke up, he was alone on the couch. It wasn’t like he expected Hyunjin to still be there, anyway.

He reached for his phone to check the time. It was around two in the morning. He was about to go on the food delivery app again when he noticed five new notifications from contact _Hyunjinnie_ . Seungmin didn’t even remember ever asking for Hyunjin’s number, nor did he remember ever calling him _Hyunjinnie_. He opened the notifications, still.

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: good morning~~ ok first sry for unlocking ur phone using ur thumb and saving my own number_

 **_Hyunjinne_ ** _: but thank u so much for yesterday ^^ im sry i left w/o telling u, i didnt wanna wake u up bc u looked so cute sleeping_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: i meant peaceful. u looked peaceful while sleeping_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: anyway i hope ur not mad ^^a_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: oh and i gave kkami one of the treats u bought. he loves it~!_

Seungmin couldn’t help but smile down at his phone, even though the sudden light really hurt his eyes. He decided on a simple reply.

_Good morning, Hyunjinnie. No problem. I’m glad you’re home safe and that Kkami likes at least one of the treats. I hope you’re feeling better now. See you around soon. ^^_

He also saw notifications from his group chat with his classmates, Daehwi and Somi, asking if he had photos of the slides from their previous lecture. Of course, Seungmin did. He opened his phone’s gallery to look for them, but the first few photos caught his attention.

Hyunjin took selfies on his phone.

The smile on Seungmin’s face just spread even wider.

 

***

 

“Take good care of our Seungminnie here, yeah?” Woojin said, along with an unnecessary ruffling of the younger’s hair, one day when he was supposed to leave the store earlier than usual.

“Stop it, hyung. I’m not a kid,” Seungmin complained, swatting the older’s hand away.

“We’re collectively five years older than you. You _are_ a kid,” Minho said matter-of-factly.

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

“You’re our kid. Woojin-hyung’s and mine. We raised you, you ungrateful brat.”

“Seungmin’’s _your_ kid, Minho, not mine. I’d never have a child with you in any lifetime.”

“You’re denying me and my child?”

“I knew it,” Seungmin played along. He decided he might as well do these kinds of things now when he still had the chance. “Woojin-hyung likes Felix a lot more these days than me, hyung,” he told Minho, even clinging onto his arm like the kid they insisted he was.

“Yes,” said Woojin, rolling his eyes. “That’s because Felix doesn’t team up with Minho to go against me.”

“Not my fault sweet guy Felix couldn’t handle this ass,” Minho clapped back, “and Seungminnie can.”

“Yes, thank you, hyung, although I’d really rather not,” mumbled Seungmin.

“Why am I friends with the two of you?” Woojin asked, looking away and sighing dramatically. As soon as he looked back at the two, though, he burst out laughing.

“Weak,” Minho said. “Off you go, loser. Bring home some food.”

“Hey, I’m still older than both of you,” Woojin warned, although his tone was still teasing. He waved at them one last time before exiting the store and leaving the two alone.

 

Their time at the store that day was uneventful. Only one lady who bought cat litter came in and before they knew it, it was already time to call it a day.

“Weird dude hasn’t gone in for at least two weeks now,” Minho said as they were walking home.

“Weird dude has a name, hyung,” Seungmin replied. “It’s Hyunjin.”

“Oh, already dropped the formalities, have we?” Minho teased, even though he very well knew that Seungmin and Hyunjin (and Jisung, too) had done so for quite some time now.

“We’re the same age,” he said instead, hoping this would shut the older up.

For a few, very fleeting, moments Seungmin thought his friend would finally stop teasing. He should’ve known better.

“Does Seungminnie miss Hyunjin?” Minho asked.

“Excuse me?”

“You miss him, don’t you?”

“What are you even talking about?”

“Don’t worry, you have my approval.”

“Wow, okay. Thanks, hyung, but I don’t need it.”

“Of course, you do,” Minho said. “I didn’t give Woojin my approval, you know that?”

 _He doesn’t need it, either_ , Seungmin was supposed to say, but thought about it. He actually wanted to know why Minho didn’t give Woojin his very important approval. “Why?” he asked.

“Bang Chan-ssi is confusing.”

“ _You’re_ confusing, too, sometimes.”

“Yes, I know, but it’s a different case with friends and with… more-than-friends. Let’s just say I don’t think he’s good for Woojin-hyung.”

“If you say so.”

“That’s right. If I say so, then it _is_ so.”

“Whatever.”

 

***

 

It was during a trip to the convenience store one evening. when Seungmin decided to make a small detour before heading home from the pet store, that he next saw Hyunjin.

It had been at least more than two weeks since the two had last seen each other, but Hyunjin’s bright smile as soon as he saw Seungmin walk inside the store and the easy, natural way they fell into conversation made it seem like no time had passed at all.

 

“You don’t like pets?” Hyunjin asked after a mouthful of ramen. His brows were creased, like Seungmin not liking pets was something he was genuinely worried about.

“Not that I don’t. I guess I just wouldn’t exactly get ones for myself,” replied Seungmin, thinking back to how he _did_ really like playing with Minho’s cats, specially back when Soonie and Doongie were still just cute little kittens. Now, though, they were mostly just big lazy balls of fur, based on the photos Minho’s mom had recently sent.

“That’s kind of sad. You remind me of a puppy, you know?”

“Are you calling me a dog?”

“No! No, Seungmin, god, no. Just—you’re cute. Like a puppy.”

“I was just kidding. Minho hyung calls me _Meongmeongie_ sometimes, too,” Seungmin said with a soft smile, trying to ignore the fact that Hyunjin called him cute.

When they were kids, Minho used to tease Seungmin a lot about looking like a puppy, too, and most of the time Woojin would scold him for that. But as time went on, Seungmin found the nickname to be somehow endearing and now a lot more nostalgic because now that they were all older and adults, they rarely called each other silly nicknames anymore.

Sometimes when they get drunk, Minho would slip and call Seungmin and Woojin cute, endearing names again—those were times that Seungmin treasured nowadays. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but those sentiments were mainly what help him through his life at university. Knowing that at the end of the day, no matter how shitty his classes or how annoying his classmates or how vexing his professors were (or how weird the customers at the pet store were, too), he still had his friends to come home to, and quite literally at that.

But that was all about to change soon, Seungmin was reminded once again, and his face automatically fell into a frown without even realizing, until Hyunjin asked, “Is there something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Seungmin replied, offering the other a half-hearted smile.

It wasn’t always great, Seungmin admitted to himself, being friends with two older boys. There were times when it became a little sad and lonely, too, like those times when he just felt like he was being left alone. Like when Woojin started primary school, and then Minho went next, but then Seungmin was still left in kindergarten. Then came elementary and high school; Seungmin was always, in a way, left behind. And then Woojin moved out of their neighborhood to go live in an apartment closer to uni, where Minho followed just a year after, and then only after two more years was Seungmin finally able to catch up.

Until now, though, he still felt like he was struggling to catch up, like he _had_ to catch up.

But that thought had been slowly changing ever since he met Hwang Hyunjin.

And it was a little scary. Because Seungmin didn’t really know how else to live his life.

“There’s something wrong,” Hyunjin stated, “but it’s okay if you don’t wanna tell me.”

“Can we go somewhere?” Seungmin asked.

“Sure?”

“Okay,” Seungmin stood up from where he was sitting, and, surprising not only Hyunjin but even himself, held out his hand for the other to take. “Let’s go.”

 

“Wow,” Hyunjin whispered once they were inside his car. “I’m nervous.”

“What? Why?” Seungmin questioned, suddenly worried. “Did you forget your license?”

“No, just—,” Hyunjin breathed in deeply. “It’s the first time you’re in my car and we’re alone and I’m sorry if I’m making this weird but—yeah.”

“Oh,” Seungmin breathed out. He didn’t know what else to say, really. He was just better at hiding it, but he was nervous himself, too.

Because things happen inside cars. At night. When people are alone. Things like kissing. And making out. And sex.

But that wasn’t even what Seungmin was planning—hell, he didn’t even know _what_ he was planning on doing. He was even questioning himself now if this was even a good idea because he wasn’t really someone who particularly liked spontaneity. He liked having things planned out ahead, having schedules and to-do lists and sticking to them as much as he could.

Hwang Hyunjin was never supposed to be on his schedule.

“So,” Hyunjin said, finally starting the engine, “where to?”

 

“I haven’t done this in a while,” Seungmin said.

He and Hyunjin ended up driving to the Han River. The two sat there, facing the river and the sun that was already setting, huddled close and sharing the blanket Hyunjin always kept in his car, (“You never know when you’ll need it!” Hyunjin announced as he was taking it out of his car’s trunk earlier, and Seungmin was questioning if it was even clean), each of them holding a can of beer in his hands.

Seungmin didn’t even know what he wanted to do. He knew what he _needed_ to do, though; he needed to study for another upcoming exam. But instead he was here, by the River, with someone he just met a few months ago, drinking, on a weekday.

“Me, too,” Hyunjin replied, his voice soft. “It’s really nice. You know, healing, and all that.”

Seungmin hummed in agreement, staring out into the space in front of them. He remembered the last time he was here; it was when he turned twenty. Woojin and Minho had taken him here, given him a whole bottle of soju, and told him to drink. That was the first time Seungmin had ever had alcohol, and of course Minho had felt the need to announce it to everyone else who was there at the time.

That was a very embarrassing moment, but at the same time a very fun and memorable one.

“So, are you gonna tell me what’s bothering you?” Hyunjin asked, breaking the silence in their own, little bubble. “Or are we gonna get wasted and fall asleep on the streets?”

“I’d rather not sleep on the street, thank you very much,” replied Seungmin, still trying to avoid having to answer the other’s question. “And you’re not gonna get wasted with just a can of beer.”

“This is a pretty big can, Seungmin,” the other noted, “but okay, so that means you’re gonna tell me what’s wrong, right?”

“Not really.”

“Oh. Okay, then.”

The two of them just sat there, in silence at first, just drinking and watching as the sun set and the dark veil of night started covering the once orange-tinted sky, until Hyunjin started talking again. He didn’t prod anymore this time, instead he just asked Seungmin how his day went, making comments whenever he deemed necessary, making Seungmin smile and laugh at how silly some of his stories were, like how, when Seungmin said he just had half a roll of _kimbap_ for lunch, Hyunjin told him a story about him and Jisung trying to make a roll _kimbap_ on their own but failing because they couldn’t find the sushi mat.

Seungmin, in turn, asked about Hyunjin’s day, as well.

“I spent most of the day at Changbin-hyung’s house,” the male explained. “It’s the first time I’ve been there in around two weeks, and all the instant ramen I stocked up a month ago are gone, so I didn’t eat all day until earlier at the convenience store. I was gonna wait for hyung but he was taking too long.”

“Skipping meals isn’t good for you, you know?” Seungmin lectured, although truthfully Hyunjin saying he hadn’t eaten all day got him worried. “You should’ve gone to the store earlier.”

Hyunjin just waved a dismissive hand. “It’s okay,” he said. “I wasn’t that hungry. Besides, If I did, then I wouldn’t have seen you.”

Seungmin was thankful he hadn’t taken a swig from his beer yet, or else he would’ve been choking by now. He almost hated how easily Hyunjin’s words—or just his presence, really—could render him flustered, but he didn’t, really, because he liked how Hyunjin made him feel.

Hyunjin made him feel flustered, happy, free, young, cared for, special.

That, and the alcohol, was all Seungmin could think of blaming when he decided to scoot closer to the other male, lean against his shoulder, and take his hand so he could lace their fingers together.

“I’m sad, you know?” Seungmin said quietly.

“Why?”

“Because Minho-hyung’s planning to go abroad when he graduates and Woojin-hyung’s already looking for a full-time job. They’re leaving me, Hyunjin.”

“Seungminnie—,” Hyunjin paused, catching himself. This wasn’t the first time he’d called Seungmin that, but the endearment still made Seungmin’s heart flutter. Hyunjin took a deep breath before saying, softer this time, “Seungminnie, they’re gonna come back.”

“What if they don’t? I mean, it’s okay if they don’t, really, it’s just… I’m gonna be alone.”

“You’re not gonna be alone.”

“Wow, you sound sure.”

“I’m gonna be here with you, okay?” Hyunjin said, squeezing Seungmin’s hand tightly and pulling him closer.

The action took Seungmin by surprise, but what was even more surprising was that he actually, genuinely believed Hyunjin, even though he was sure the other just said that to keep him from whining and complaining too much. He believed Hyunjin would really be there with him, because Hyunjin didn’t make him feel like his worries were suddenly gone, or that his problems were somehow solved just because they were together. Instead, Hyunjin made him feel like his worries were valid, like Hyunjin knew other people had other, far bigger problems, but right now Seungmin’s problems were what mattered.

“Okay,” he breathed out. “ _Okay_.”

 

Seungmin woke up with his head resting on Hyunjin’s lap, the blanket they were sharing earlier now just covering his body. It was already dark and Seungmin could see a few stars twinkling in the sky. He could also hear Hyunjin talking on the phone. “Yeah.” “I’m with Seungmin.” “Yes, okay, okay.” “Bye, hyung.”

“You’re awake,” Hyunjin said when he saw Seungmin looking up at him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Seungmin replied softly, voice a little hoarse from sleep. “Who was that?”

“Changbin-hyung. Just asking if I was home.”

“Oh.” Seungmin suddenly realized it was probably getting late. “Oh, my god, I’m sorry.” He tried to get up but Hyunjin placed his hand on his chest to keep him lying down.

“No, it’s okay,” Hyunjin assured him. “Hyung said I could crash at his place for tonight since I’m driving you home, too.”

“You don’t have to—.”

“I want to.”

They stayed like that for a few more moments, just looking up at the sky, before Seungmin decided they should really head home. He packed their stuff and was about to get up when Hyunjin held out his hand,

“Let’s go.”

 

***

 

The last time Seungmin had a sleepover was back in high school, when Minho was still around and hadn’t gone to university yet. They would stay up late, talk about their problems that seemed really big back then but if Seungmin were to think about them now, he would just laugh. They would play with Minho’s cats, pretending that Soonie and Doongie actually liked any of them. They would eat _kimbap_ that they made themselves and chicken because Woojin always wanted chicken, and even during the times Woojin couldn’t join them anymore, they still ate chicken and made sure to bother the oldest by video-calling him in the middle of the night. Those were fun times, Seungmin recalled.

Sleepovers back then were nothing like the sleepover Seungmin just had last night at Daehwi’s place. While they did eat kimbap and chicken (and a hearty dinner Daehwi’s mom had graciously prepared for them), most of the night was spent writing a paper and doing a lot of research and brainstorming for said paper. Somi, who was with them during the evening, had gone home before midnight because she didn’t live too far from Daehwi’s place. Seungmin, on the other hand, had chosen to stay because he didn’t really want to take his chance with the last bus going to his side of town.

It was no wonder that both he and his friend had fallen asleep not even halfway through all the stuff they had to do, and when Seungmin woke up early the next morning, he didn’t want to bother his friend and his friend’s family anymore. He knew he should’ve probably at least waited for Daehwi to wake up, but he knew his friend was just as tired as him and at the time it didn’t feel right to wake him up, so instead Seungmin left as quietly as possible. When he got to the living room, though, he did bump into Daehwi’s father, so at least he had a chance to thank him before leaving; he also left a text for his friend to read when he wakes up.

 

Seungmin wasn’t too familiar with this side of town, so naturally he was looking down at the navigation app on his phone, and he didn’t notice the guy with a bright smile walking quickly towards him.

“Seungminnie!” the familiar voice called.

When Seungmin finally looked up from his phone, he was met with Hyunjin’s smiling face in front of his. “What are you doing here?” was the first thing he said, it was always the first thing he said whenever he meets Hyunjin outside their apartment complex or the pet store.

“I live around here,” answered Hyunjin.

“Right,” Seungmin nodded. He almost forgot he was supposed to be the _visitor_ here, and not the other way around like it usually was.

“What are _you_ doing here?”

“I slept over at a friend’s house.”

Hyunjin blinked, creased his brows, nodded slowly, and said in a small voice, “Oh.”

“Just to study,” Seungmin then felt the need to explain. “You know, boring stuff. We literally slept most of the night, anyway.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin repeated, now in a significantly more cheerful manner, smiling again. “So where are you going?”

“To the cafe.”

“The cafe over there?” Hyunjin pointed to the direction where Seungmin was walking. He made a weird face when the latter just nodded in response. “The coffee and service there sucks. No one goes there. I don’t say these kinds of things a lot, really, but they should probably just close.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Seungmin noted sadly. He could really use some coffee before heading home, but he guessed he would just get his small dose of caffeine at his local coffee shop.

“Yes, but lucky for you, I’m here!” exclaimed Hyunjin, clapping his hands once before taking  Seungmin’s hand and pulling him towards the opposite direction, Seungmin guessed it was where Hyunjin was really headed to, and the two of them started walking. “I’m taking you to my favorite cafe. I swear, they make the best cinnamon latte.”

“I don’t like cinnamon latte,” Seungmin said.

“They have other stuff.”

Seungmin had to roll his eyes at that. “I never would’ve guessed that.”

“Sorry.”

“I was just teasing.”

“Okay, but what _do_ you like?”

“Hmm… I like sweet coffee.”

“So, like, caramel macchiato?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool,” Hyunjin nodded, and Seungmin wondered what was so cool and about liking caramel macchiato (“You’re paying for coffee without coffee, you know?” Minho would always say whenever they get coffee together).

“Aren’t you going to Changbin-hyung’s today?” Seungmin asked after a few minutes of walking silently.

“I don’t think so.” Hyunjin answered with a shrug. “Hyung’s pretty busy and Jisung’s not here, either, so I don’t think there’s any more reason to go there.”

Maybe Seungmin wanted to ask if _he_ wasn’t enough reason for Hyunjin to go to their part of town, but he didn’t ask. He didn’t really need to because then Hyunjin said, just barely above a whisper, “Besides, you’re already here.”

“Shut up,” was all that Seungmin could say as he felt his face turn warm and tried to keep himself from smiling too much.

“I could take you home, though.”

Seungmin choked on his own spit. “Wh-what?” he stuttered.

“Oh, god, no, not like that,” Hyunjin said hurriedly, realizing that his choice of words were probably not the best for the context. “Sorry. I meant, _your_ home. Not mine.”

There was silence. A little awkward.

“It’s not a bad idea, though,” Hyunjin said slowly and quietly after a few moments. “If you’re not busy.”

“I-I’m not busy,” Seungmin answered just as slowly. “But I don’t really wanna bother you and your family.” He had already bothered Daehwi and his family last night.

Hyunjin sighed. “Seungminnie, you’re not bothering me half as much as I’m bothering you, I’m sure of that. And my parents are at work so only Kkami and I are home. Just…” he heaved another sigh, “only if you _actually_ want to.”

Seungmin mulled it over, trying to be really honest with himself. Did he want to come over to Hyunjin’s house? Play with Kkami? Just hang out?

“Sure.”

Hyunjin’s face lit up. “Great!” he almost shouted. Just the smile on his face was worth the hassle of going home a little later than Seungmin initially intended. “We could get some _tost-u_ on the way back, too! There’s a vendor who sells really good ones near our place.”

Seungmin nodded and smiled at the other. “That sounds good,” he said.

He almost forgot that Hyunjin was holding his hand until the latter gave it a little squeeze.

Seungmin didn’t want to let go.

It was okay, though, because Hyunjin didn’t let go, either.

 

***

 

Seungmin was hanging out at Changbin’s house again late one afternoon. He, Hyunjin, Changbin, Minho, and Jisung were supposed to watch a movie together. Minho wasn’t home yet, though, and Changbin and Jisung had both lost in a game of rock-paper-scissors against Seungmin and Hyunjin and as a punishment they were sent out to buy food for the five of them, leaving Seungmin alone with Hyunjin at Changbin’s apartment once again.

“Seungminnie,” Hyunjin said after a few moments of silence.

“Yes?” answered Seungmin. He hated how the other could still make him nervous, specially when they were alone.

“Do you wanna go on a date with me?”

Seungmin absolutely hated how the other could still make him flustered. “Excuse me?” he said, feigning nonchalance.

“Let’s go out on a date,” Hyunjin said simply.

“Don’t we already hang out a lot?” Seungmin teased, finally somewhat regaining his composure. “We’ll get tired of each other soon.”

“Yes, but hanging out is different from an actual, proper date.”

“What even is an actual, proper date?”

“You know, one where we know it’s supposed to be romantic and not just, like, friends hanging out.”

“ _Romantic_ ,” repeated Seungmin blandly.

“Yes,” Hyunjin replied. “I pick you up at seven, or something, get you some flowers, we dress up nice.”

“Are my clothes not nice enough for you?”

“No, that’s not what I meant, silly,” Hyunjin laughed. “You know what I mean.”

“That’s cheesy.”

“I know. So...?”

“ _So_ , what?”

“ _So_ , will you go out on a date with me?”

Luckily, Seungmin didn’t get to answer, because just then Jisung came barging in, saying _loudly_ , “You didn’t start without us, did you?” Changbin was trailing behind him, carrying most of the food they bought. Seungmin noticed the older eyeing him and Hyunjin for a while before walking past them.

“Minho-hyung said he’s already walking up the stairs,” Seungmin announced. In the periphery of his vision, he also saw Hyunjin looking at him expectantly, but pretended not to notice.

 

***

 

Stress and pressure had been Seungmin’s company the past week or so (or more, he had lost count). Since Minho had started dating Jisung, he hadn’t really been around as much as he used to. Woojin had also been a little busy with work (and Chan, although Woojin didn’t want to admit anything) lately and had also gone back home for the weekend with plans of talking to his father about wanting to just continue teaching instead of managing a business. Seungmin was happy his friends were having fun, living interesting lives, finding out what (and _who_ , even) they wanted to do, but he had to admit that being alone this much was something he didn’t enjoy as much as he thought he would.

There were upsides, of course. He had the whole space to himself (not that he needed that much space), he could study without being bothered (not that Minho or Woojin bothered him a lot), he could keep the apartment a little untidy and leave the dishes in the sink for days (not that he would ever do such things).

It wasn’t even that he didn’t enjoy his time alone, because he _did_ . He just felt like somehow this was readying him for what was eventually to come—Woojin leaving and finally settling down somewhere else after two years of hanging around the same place, Minho going abroad for further studies or maybe a job, Seungmin being left alone once again for a much, _much_ longer period of time or maybe even permanently.

Seungmin did have other friends, like Jeongin and Felix; his friends Daehwi and Somi from university; Euiwoong, Sanha, and Seonho from high school. But nothing could ever beat or even come close to Woojin and Minho, who, even though they were more than a year older than Seungmin, had always been there for him.

“God,” Seungmin whispered to himself, “why am I even thinking about this?”

He sighed. Maybe he should just come over to Changbin’s place later. But, quite frankly, Seungmin had already grown tired of Changbin’s apartment. It didn’t help that Changbin always had books (albeit neatly stacked on top of each other) and unfinished plates on top of his coffee table, sometimes on his couch, too, and Seungmin was scared he might break them or ruin them. It also annoyed him that sometimes there were dishes on Changbin’s sink, or that sometimes the floor looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed or at least swept in two weeks. Although he did cut Changbin some slack, because the guy was busy with his thesis and, unlike Seungmin, he lived alone so he didn’t really have anyone else to count on to keep the place clean.

(Okay, Changbin’s apartment was _actually_ neat and clean, but Seungmin was just a little too easily ticked off by minute, sometimes irrelevant, details.)

Besides, another reason why Seungmin had stopped coming over to Chabgbin’s apartment was that older _always_ had Hyunjin over. Literally, everytime Seungmin had gone to his neighbor the past month, Hyunjin was there, and Seungmin’s usual ease would always be replaced by a nervousness he only really felt whenever Hyunjin was around.

He had been diligently trying to avoid the guy the past few weeks because if he didn’t, he was sure his big, fat crush would only grow to be an even bigger, fatter crush on cute, adorable, little Hwang Hyunjin—that was if it hadn’t already. But Hyunjin was still, somehow, _always_ around, and it made Seungmin nervous because Hyunjin was really, fucking cute and poor Seungmin had never really had a crush on anyone since his second year of high school, but this was different, because Hyunjin was actually really, fucking nice and gentle and kind and thoughtful and he always smiled at Seungmin and looked at him like he was the most precious thing in the world and Hyunjin had even asked him out on a date but—

“Hey.” Minho suddenly appeared by the doorway, now walking towards where Seungmin was sitting at the dining table.

“Hey, hyung,” Seungmin greeted back. When Minho was close enough to him, he realized the older was still wearing his clothes from yesterday. Minho had just gotten home from his night out, and it was already almost six in the morning.

“Did you stay up all night studying again?” the older asked, his eyebrows creased in worry.

Seungmin knew the question wasn’t supposed to sound condescending, he knew Minho was just worried about him and his sometimes extreme studying habits, but he was just really stressed and he needed to let it all out. Granted, a not-so-sober Minho would not be his first choice on who to pick a very petty fight with, but no one else was there.

“Are you judging me for my choices?” Seungmin said. “So what if I want to study on a weekend instead of joining you guys drink until morning?”

“Woah, hey, what the fuck?” Minho shot back. Seungmin could already imagine the older raising his voice, glaring, telling him off in one single sentence, and then not talking to him for a week or so until he said sorry, just like the few times it had happened in the course of their friendship. But then Minho’s expression softened; shaking his head, he said, “Seungminnie, no one’s _judging_ you, okay? I’m just worried. You seem stressed.”

“Great observation. A-plus. Couldn’t have told that myself.”

“Just…” Minho stared at him awkwardly for a while before heaving a long sigh. “Get some sleep, _Meongmeongie_ ,” he said, before walking past Seungmin.

“Thank you _so_ much for that warm and heartfelt advice, hyung.”

“Whatever. Stay up until you pass out,” Minho told him before finally heading into his room, one that he and Seungmin shared, but not before leaving a glass of water and a bottle of banana milk on the table for Seungmin.

 

Seungmin woke up to someone gently shaking his shoulder. He had fallen asleep while studying again, with the side of his face flat on his opened textbook. He looked around, neck stiff and vision blurry, and found his other textbooks neatly stacked on the other side of the table and all his pens and highlighters placed inside their cases, even though he was sure he didn’t put them there before he fell asleep. The empty glass and bottle of banana milk were gone, too.

“Hyung?” he croaked out.

It was Minho who had woken him up, and Seungmin shot up in an instant because he remembered how petty and childish he had acted earlier that day—the same reason he had chosen to fall asleep at the table instead of his comfortable bed.

“Get your ass up, loser, we’re getting lunch,” Minho said.

“Don’t you have a date?” Seungmin asked, before stopping himself, scared it might suddenly tick the older off.

Luckily, Minho didn’t seem to mind the question. Instead he said, “Well, if you don’t accept my offer, then I guess I don’t.”

“Hyung, I know you pity me because I’m always alone here but you don’t have—.”

“Fuck, Seungmin, I just want some _udon_ ,” Minho said with a sigh. “Can you please stop with that shit? No one’s pitying you.”

“I—.”

“I mean, no offense, but look at you. What’s there to pity? You seem like you already have your shit together. Pretty sure you already have a job secured, too, because of your dad’s firm. Now stop that shit, get your fucking ass up, and get dressed because we’re having lunch.”

Seungmin blinked all the sleep away and nodded, before obediently rushing back to his bedroom with his books and pens.

 

On their way out of the apartment complex, Minho and Seungmin bumped into no other than Hwang Hyunjin.

“Seungminnie!” Hyunjin greeted cheerfully, with his cute smile that made Seungmin’s heart melt. “Minho-ssi,” Hyunjin gave Minho a little bow.

“Ah, just call me hyung,” Minho replied with a smile. “We’re heading out for lunch, do you wanna come?”

“What?” Seungmin said, slightly surprised that Minho would invite Hyunjin to lunch that easily. He looked at Hyunjin to see his reaction, and was also slightly surprised because Hyunjin’s face seemed to have fallen, although he was quick to bring the smile back, but it wasn’t the same heart-warming smile that reached his eyes.

Did Hyunjin actually want to come with them and did Seungmin make it seem like he didn’t want him to?

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Hyunjin said. “I’m pretty busy, I have this plate to work on with Changbin-hyung. Have fun, though!” Hyunjin gave both of them a smile and a small bow before walking past them.

Once they were way out of earshot, Minho suddenly asked, “Why do you always turn him down?”

“What do you mean?” asked Seungmin, feigning ignorance although surely it wouldn’t work on the older.

“Why won’t you just go on a proper date with him? I know that’s part of what’s stressing you out a lot lately.”

“How do you even know about that?”

“You know, when you don’t want other people to overhear you, you should try talking somewhere more private.”

“Wow, hyung.”

“So? Why won’t you? You seem like a good fit, plus you two look cute together. And he always tells you about his dog, you guys are practically raising it together by now.”

Seungmin knew his best friend had a point but didn’t want to admit it. “You always tell me about your cats, too,” he chose to point out instead.

“Yes,” agreed Minho, “but that’s different. You already care about my cats’ well-being so I give you updates.”

“I _don’t_ , actually. Care about your cats’ well-being, I mean.”

“Yes, you do. Everyone does.”

“Not true.”

“Point is, Seungminnie, if you don’t like him, then don’t lead him on,” Minho said, choosing to ignore the younger’s previous comment. They had finally reached the restaurant Minho wanted so badly to eat at, but before entering, the older turned back to Seungmin and added, “But if you _do_ like him, then don’t take too long.”

 

***

 

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: hey so uh... about that date?_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: i heard this restaurant near our uni serves rly great sushi and maybe ud like to try it w me?_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: if ur not busy~_

...

_Sorry, Hyunjin. I’m pretty busy tonight. The whole week, actually._

**_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: oh. thats ok! hope all goes well. fighting~! ^^_

 

***

 

“Then who’s gonna manage the store?” Minho asked Woojin one day while the three of them were busy doing nothing.

“Well, technically, my brother’s still the manager,” Woojin replied. He had successfully convinced his father to just let him a job as a teacher full-time.

Seungmin was really happy for his friend, but the news just really held a little more finality than what he was ready for, knowing that Woojin getting a full-time job would mean the older wouldn’t be working with them at the pet store anymore. He also knew Woojin was eyeing a school on the opposite side of town, although he still wasn’t sure if Woojin was planning to move out of the apartment anytime soon.

There were just a lot of possibilities for his friends, Seungmin thought. He felt like one day, he was going at the same pace with his friends and the rest of the world, and then suddenly things were now going too fast. He wasn’t sure if he had time to catch up—or if he could even catch up.

“No offense to your brother,” Minho’s voice brought him back to the present. “Or to _you_ , but he’s never even been here ever since I started working here.”

“That’s because I was always here. It’s more convenient.”

“So when are you leaving, hyung?” Seungmin finally blurted out.

There were a few seconds of silence before Woojin spoke. “Our Seungminnie wants me to leave already.”

“No!” Seungmin was frantically waving his hands in denial. “You know that’s not what I meant. I just—I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I wanna be ready when you do.”

“Seungminnie,” Minho said, draping an arm over the younger’s shoulders. “No one’s ever ready for, say, drastic changes. Pretty sure Woojinnie-hyung here isn’t even ready to leave us, too. Especially me, ‘cause I’m sure he’ll miss this pretty face, but we gotta learn to adapt, yeah?”

If Seungmin weren’t already sad over the thought of Woojin possibly leaving soon, he would’ve elbowed Minho in the side because of his uncharacteristically sappy monologue, but he knew that Minho was also saying this because he himself was leaving soon, too.

“Yeah, cheer up,” Woojin told him. “Besides, your favorite customer’s here. Look.”

Sure enough, Hyunjin entered the shop’s door. Where Woojin got the idea that he was Seungmin’s _favorite customer_ , Seungmin didn’t know. Certainly not from all the times he and Hyunjin ended up talking a lot longer than necessary whenever the latter would go and buy his dog treats, or whenever he and Seungmin would bump into each other at the apartment complex and exchange more than just friendly smiles, or whenever Seungmin ended up hanging out with Hyunjin at Changbin’s place.

Hyunjin smiled at him (and at the others, too, but mostly at him). Seungmin, albeit still a little nervously, smiled back.

 

***

 

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: seungminnieee~ r u free tonight?_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: do u wanna go see a movie w me?_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: we can go for dinner after?_

_Hi, Hyunjin! Sorry, I have to study for my exam tomorrow._

**_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: oh…_

 **_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: fighting~!_

_Thank you! ^^_

**_Hyunjinnie_ ** _: we could go out some other day, right?_

…

 **_Hyunjiniie_ ** _: ah.. u must be studying hard. dont forget to take care of urself ^^_

 

***

 

One night, Seungmin was watching a movie at home with Minho and Woojin after such a long time of not being able to do any kind of leisurely activity together. The three almost missed the knocking on their door until the person outside started calling out, “Seungminnie!”

Seungmin instantly got up from he was lying down on the couch to go the door. When he opened it, Hyunjin came stumbling towards him. Seungmin caught him just in time before he fell on the ground.

“Seungminnie,” Hyunjin whined, wrapping his arms around Seungmin in a hug instead. “Go out with me. Please.”

“What?” Seungmin asked, confused, heart racing a little and face flushing pink.

“Let me take you to a restaurant. Let me buy you dinner and hold your hand and squish your cheeks. Please?”

“Hyunjin, are you drunk?”

“Please, Seungminnie?”

“Hyunjin—.”

“Just one date. I swear, I’ll sweep you off your feet! You won’t regret it. We could even just study. Or I could bring Kkami. Seungminnie—.”

“Hyunjin-ah!” Changbin came running towards them. He sounded genuinely pissed and for a second Seungmin got really scared because that was the first time he had heard Changbin shout like that. “Hyunjin-ah, stop harassing my neighbor,” he said, taking Hyunjin’s arms away from around Seungmin and struggling to support the much taller male’s body on his shoulder. “Sorry about this,” he told Seungmin, “He doesn’t usually get this drunk. He’s just a little stressed. We’ll be going now.”

“Okay,” Seungmin mumbled. When he turned around, his friends were already looking at him expectantly. “What?” he asked.

“So?” said Minho.

“You’ll go out with him, right?” said Woojin.

“Fuck off,” said Seungmin.

 

***

 

It was an uneventful Saturday, Seungmin was alone at home again, reading, when a knock came on the door. When he opened it, Hyunjin stood outside, holding a box of what smelled like fried chicken.

“Hi,” he greeted.

“Hi,” Seungmin greeted back, opening the door wider to let him in.

“Sorry. Hyung left me alone again and I ordered chicken so I thought we could share.” He placed the box on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.

“Cool. I’ll go get plates and—.”

“Seungmin,” the other male had grabbed his hand, pulling him gently onto the couch beside him. “Sorry about the other the other night.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it. I’ve dealt with a lot of drunk people before,” he said, offering the other a smile, which faltered as soon as their eyes met; Hyunjin’s stare was a little too intense. Seungmin cleared his throat. “Right. I’m gonna go get—.”

“Why won’t you go on a date with me?” Hyunjin asked quietly.

“I—.”

“Do you not like me? Because you could just tell me, you know? I can accept that.”

Seungmin didn’t know what to say. He felt guilty and ashamed, and Hyunjin looked so sad and vulnerable staring at him like that, that Seungmin did what he did next.

He kissed Hyunjin. On the lips. Only for a few seconds, chastely. He knew it wasn’t an answer to Hyunjin’s question, though, so he pulled away and said the only word he could think of, “Sorry.”

Then Hyunjin pulled him in again, snaking arms around his waist and pulling him close until he was straddling Hyunjin, gasping at the feeling of Hyunjin’s hands flat against his back, pushing their bodies together.

Hyunjin kissed him slowly, sweetly, tongue massaging tongue and teeth grazing lips, eliciting soft moans and Seungmin wasn’t sure anymore if they were from him or from the other male.

Hyunjin led the kiss—a little fierce, a little demanding, but always still gentle as he started trailing kisses on Seungmin’s cheek, his jaw, down his neck, the dip in his collarbone where Hyunjin’s mouth lingered hot against his bare skin, and Seungmin couldn’t help but moan out Hyunjin’s name until Hyunjin silenced him by kissing him on the mouth again, a little harsher this time.

It drove Seungmin wild, how Hyunjin kissed him, how Hyunjin slipped a hand under his shirt, fingertips grazing his bare skin, making him shiver. He liked how Hyunjin would whimper against his lips whenever he ran fingers through his hair or placed a hand on his chest.

He liked how Hyunjin reacted to him, but he decided that he liked how he reacted to Hyunjin more.

 

***

 

It wasn’t usual for Seungmin not to come in to work, but days like these were an exception. The day had been hectic for him and his classmates, so they all decided to go out for lunch and have a group study session afterwards.

Usually, when Seungmin would go home late from the university, he would ask Jeongin to go home together, since the one-room the younger lived in was along the way to Seungmin’s apartment. They would always buy food while walking the streets, and sometimes they would also stop by a convenience store to have some snacks. Unfortunately, Jeongin was already home by the time Seungmin contacted him, so the latter was left to go home by himself.

Although it was already rare for Seungmin to be going home alone from the university in the evening, It was _even_ _rarer_ for him to bump into Changbin these past few days, so when he noticed the older’s smaller figure a few feet away from him, he immediately walked up to him.

“Hyung,” he greeted, startling the older.

“Ah, Seungmin-ah, don’t do that,” he chided. “You on your way home?” Seungmin nodded. “Let’s go, then.”

 

Changbin had been uncharacteristically quiet for most of their journey home. Seungmin wasn’t used to not complaining about how noisy and annoying the older was whenever they were together; he was worried.

“Hyung, are you okay?” he asked. It was a plain question, neutral, nothing that was going to make known that he knew something more than he should.

“If you’re asking about the thing with Soyeon-noona, then yes,” Changbin answered. “Hyunjin told me he told you about it. He tells me everything.”

“Oh.” Seungmin was relieved that he at least didn’t have to pretend like he didn’t know, but somehow the thought that Hyunjin tells Changbin everything made him nervous.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay. I know I should’ve told you, too, but I thought you and Minho-hyung being sad for me would be too much.”

Seungmin nodded. “So you’re okay?”

“Yeah, just a little stressed. Nothing new.”

“You should get some rest when we get home, hyung,” said Seungmin. He gently patted the older’s back—an action he immediately regretted doing because then the older hugged him and started thanking him in that annoying, high-pitched, trying-to-be-cute-voice again.

 

Turned out, there really was reason to for Seungmin to be nervous. They were almost at their doors when Changbin suddenly said, “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Well, you’re already asking—,” was Seungmin’s immediate response.

“About Hyunjin.”

“Oh,” the younger paused. He hadn’t really seen Hyunjin in a while. “Sure, I guess.”

“What’s going on between you two?”

_Oh._

“I—,” he started, but stopped himself. He wasn’t really sure, either.

He was tempted to say they were just friends, but even he would call himself out on his own bullshit at that. He knew they weren’t _just friends_. He just didn’t know what they actually were.

It didn’t help that, during the past few days, Hyunjin had been texting Seungmin a lot less than he did before; he had also stopped asking Seungmin to go out on a _proper_ _date_. Seungmin also noticed Hyunjin being less touchy than he used to be, although he was still very generous with his cuddles especially when Seungmin would be the one to initiate. They still hung out often, but the way Hyunjin seemed to act like he was holding himself back wasn’t lost on Seungmin.

Changbin sighed then. “You don’t have to answer that,” he told Seungmin. “Just—Hyunjin’s a very special friend, Seungmin-ah, and it’s not easy seeing him like this. He’s already stressing over so much shit, you know that, right?”

“Yes,” the younger muttered under his breath.

“Just, please, try not to make it even harder for him.” The older offered him a smile before going inside his apartment.

 

Woojin came home later that night without Minho, and Seungmin was about to ask where the other was but Woojin spoke up first.

“Do you know that Hyunjin’s outside?” he asked before sitting down beside Seungmin on the couch.

“What?” the younger exclaimed. “Hyung, why didn’t you let him in?”

“Do you know why he’s outside?”

“Well, I’m about to find out—,” Seungmin tried to get up from where he was sitting, but Woojin stopped him. “What?” he questioned the older.

“You know why he’s out there?” Woojin repeated. “He told me he’s thinking about whether he should try asking you out again, but he’s scared you would still say ‘no-without-actually-saying-no.’”

Seungmin stared at the older in disbelief. “Is he for real?”

“Well, apparently,” the older answered.

Seungmin didn’t want to believe it, but with everything he now knew about Hyunjin from spending a lot of time together, he knew it was most likely true; Hyunjin could get worked up too much about something. Changbin’s words from earlier rang in his ears, _“Just, please, try not to make it even harder for him.”_

“Seungmin,” Woojin said again, gently, “why won’t you just say yes? The kid’s getting too stressed all because you won’t go on one fucking date with him. I’m not saying you owe him, don’t get me wrong, but just... _why won’t you_? You already hang out a lot and you seem to really like each other.”

“Why is it such a big deal to him?” Seungmin said instead, unsure why he was still trying to dodge the question even though he was sure Woojin wouldn’t let it go.

“Maybe he’s a complete sap and he likes all that romance shit and stuff, I don’t know,” Woojin offered, “but it seems like it’s a big deal to you, too.”

Sometimes, it surprised even Seungmin, how much his friends actually knew him, how easily they could read him. At the moment, he thought it seemed pointless to try and deny anything anymore.

“It’s just—I feel like a proper date’s gonna make it… official,” Seungmin finally admitted. He always had been afraid to commit to anything he wasn’t too sure he would be able to do.

“Well, isn’t that better?”

“I don’t know, hyung.”

“You act like you really enjoy his company but you keep turning him down. That’s some really mixed signals. Not cool.”

Just then did the gears inside Seungmin’s head started turning—he could almost hear them creaking from all the rust, since he was sure he hadn’t really been using his brain recently. _“Bang Chan-ssi is confusing.”_ he remembered Minho saying once. _“...I don’t think he’s good for Woojin-hyung.”_ Seungmin finally understood why.

Seungmin felt bad, sad, and guilty.

“Hyung,” he whispered. “Hyung, what do I do?”

“Well,” Woojin answered slowly, “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay… But you _do_ like him, right?”

Seungmin really didn’t know how Woojin did it, how he could always, _always_ coax answers out of him. He and Minho had never really been that vocal about their feelings, but somehow Woojin always knew how and when to prod — something Seungmin actually, really appreciated, and something he would really miss when— _if_ , he corrected himself—Woojin moves away.

It was just a harmless crush, Seungmin had told himself at first; he had been so sure it would just go away—they always did. But this time, with Hyunjin, it didn’t; it clearly developed into something more and even Seungmin was scared to admit it to himself even though he himself also knew that it was so, painfully obvious.

“Yes.”

For the first time since he could remember, Seungmin completely, utterly did not know what to do. If only there was a manual, a textbook, a rule, anything he could read and memorize on how to handle his own feelings, but there wasn’t. He never really liked the trial-and-error method; he liked being sure first before trying something. He didn’t want to try and see if Hyunjin would leave him, too, like his friends would, and then feel sorry for himself for a lot longer than necessary.

“Hyung,” he choked out through the lump forming in his throat. “I’m scared.” His own words made him flinch. Admitting it to himself was one thing; admitting it out loud, knowing that Hyunjin was actually just outside their door, was another thing—one that was embarrassing, that made him cringe, that made him feel dumb because if he himself were scared then certainly Hyunjin was, too, if not even more.

And, for some stupid reason, that thought was what finally brought tears to his eyes. Seungmin didn’t even remember the last time he cried, especially in front of anyone. He tried really hard to fight it, but when he felt Woojin’s hand on his back, it became too hard.

It felt good, really, like a heavy weight was being lifted off his shoulders. It helped a lot that he was sure that Woojin wouldn’t judge him for crying like a child at his age. He wished, though, that Minho wouldn’t suddenly come home any moment soon, because even though he also trusted Minho (with his life, even, something he thought was pretty stupid on his part),  the older was sometimes insensitive when it came to teasing.

A short-lived wish it was, though, because right then Minho came entering the apartment, asking, “Why is Hyunjin outside—? Wait, what happened, why is Seungmin crying?”

Without looking up, Seungmin answered, “Nothing, hyung. I’m okay.”

“ _Okay_ , my ass,” the older shot back. He was now kneeling in front of Seungmin, trying to lift the younger’s face up. “Wait, did that punk do something?! I’m gonna bust his fucking ass. How dare he—?”

“Hyung, no,” Seungmin grabbed the older’s hands. “No,” he repeated. For a moment it seemed to have satisfied Minho, but then he abruptly stood up.

“Hey, where are you going?” Woojin asked, his tone warning.

“Not busting someone’s ass, don’t worry,” was Minho’s reply. After a few seconds, Minho came back, slipped a bottle of banana milk, with a straw already inserted, in the younger’s hands, and sat down on the other side of the couch.

Seungmin felt like he was four again, sitting between the two older males, sipping on banana milk, crying while they waited until he wasn’t sad anymore.

 

***

 

The past few days had been unbearably long. Seungmin had so much work to do in the span of three short days; Woojin had even said it was _too much work_ , which Seungmin would’ve had time to agree with had he not been too busy and caught up with his own shit.

It didn’t help that Hyunjin hadn’t texted him in a while, too. Seungmin didn’t even realize how much he had already gotten used to the other flooding his phone with notifications of cheering and encouraging him. Sure, he still saw Hyunjin quite a lot, and Hyunjin still mostly treated him the same as before, but it still felt too much like Hyunjin was holding back—or worse, slipping away.

Seungmin missed him.

But he knew he couldn’t really blame Hyunjin.

 

***

 

It was late one night when Seungmin decided to go out to the nearby cafe, because their wifi suddenly acted up just when he needed to send an email. He was also, weirdly, craving for coffee and cake.

While he was walking down the stairs, he heard footsteps behind him. Normally, it wouldn’t scare him, but it was already pretty late and he was alone, carrying his wallet and his laptop, so he couldn’t help but sigh loudly in relief when he heard a familiar voice call from behind him, “Seungminnie?”

The footsteps came faster and within seconds, Hyunjin was already walking beside him. “What are you doing out alone?” he asked in a worried tone that Seungmin knew shouldn't have made him smile. “Hey, I’m serious,” Hyunjin added, nudging his shoulder. “You shouldn’t be walking alone this late at night.”

“But you’re coming with me, right?” replied Seungmin. “I won’t be walking alone.”

“Well, of course, dummy. I can’t let you go alone now, can I?”

“Great.”

“So… where are we going?”

Seungmin slipped his hand in Hyunjin’s, half-expecting the other to pull away. Instead, Hyunjin was still quick to lace their fingers together, squeezing Seungmin’s hand tightly and pulling him closer.

Hyunjin was _still_ Hyunjin. The same person who listened to Seungmin’s worries about his friends, asked him about his day, sent him encouraging messages whenever he was studying. Seungmin’s heart filled with warmth, affection, comfort, fondness, gratefulness that Hyunjin stayed the same.

Hyunjin didn’t slip away.

The smile on Seungmin’s face was wide and the flush on his cheeks felt warm. He kissed the back of Hyunjin’s hand before finally saying,

“We’re going on a date.”

 

***

 

Seungmin sat near the Han River, watching Hyunjin play with Kkami. He and Hyunjin had been dating for a few months now (“ _Officially_ ,” Minho would always point out, “You two have been acting like a couple for much longer.”), but this was the first time Hyunjin had brought Kkami with him. Seungmin would almost be jealous of the attention Hyunjin was giving his dog if watching them play didn’t make him too happy.

It was summer break, finally, and for the first time ever since he started college, Seungmin didn’t enroll in summer sessions, opting instead to just a take a break and spend time with Hyunjin (and their friends, too, but mostly Hyunjin).

Minho had graduated last February and had gone abroad a month after. Seungmin had gone to the airport with him, along with Woojin, Changbin, and Jisung, to bid him farewell. Jisung had cried so much that day, and Minho had to reassure him that he was, definitely, still coming back.

Woojin still lived with Seungmin in their apartment, even though he had already gotten a full-time job as a teacher at a local arts high school where a lot of famous, young teenagers studied. He sometimes complained to Seungmin about how some of these teenagers weren’t able to go to their classes as much as the normal teenager was, but said he understood why it had to be so. Right now, though, Woojin was out of the country with his family, so Seungmin was alone at home for a few weeks.

The pet store they all used to work at had been sold off, and Seungmin had quit his job there just a week after Woojin and Minho had done so themselves. He thought it seemed quite pointless still working there, since he didn’t exactly need the job and he was only getting busier by the day, and his friends weren’t there anymore, too. Besides, Woojin’s dad wasn’t the owner anymore, so it would be hard for Seungmin to not come in to work if he needed to study. Felix and Jeongin were still there, though, as far as Seungmin knew, although he hadn’t heard about Chan yet.

Changbin also still lived at the apartment next to theirs, and he still came over to bother Seungmin a lot (especially these days, since Woojin and Minho were both not around). He seemed happier, too, and Seungmin suspected it had something to do with his dating life. Hyunjin just bursted out in laughter when Seungmin asked him about it once, before ultimately denying it, saying Changbin would’ve told him if it were _that_ important. Still, Seungmin was determined to get answers at least one of these days.

“Hey,” Hyunjin finally came to sit beside Seungmin, instantly wrapping an arm around him.

Seungmin automatically leaned into his boyfriend’s touch. “Aren’t you tired?” he asked, offering him a bottle of water.

“You give me strength.”

“Okay, stop,” Seungmin said with a laugh. He still wasn’t that used to Hyunjin’s random bouts of cheesiness.

“Healing,” Hyunjin added, though he himself was laughing, too.

“That’s what you said the first time we went here together, too,” Seungmin noted.

“You remember that?” Hyunjin said, exaggerating mock surprise. “Wow, you really pay _that_ much attention to me, don’t you?”

Seungmin just rolled his eyes. It was true, though; he did pay _that_ much attention to Hyunjin. And until now, he still did, if not much more. He also remembered that night clearly; it was the first time he and Hyunjin had ever really gone somewhere together; they usually just bumped into each other at places or at home. Seungmin would even consider that night as their first date.

“I was really nervous that night,” Hyunjin said after a while. “You even held my hand before we got to my car and I made things weird. I wanted to slap myself.”

“I got really nervous back then, too, you know?” Seungmin admitted for the first time.

“Really? Why?”

“Because… _things_ happen when people who like each other are alone inside cars.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin said, nodding slowly. Seungmin could already feel his face turning warm and getting flushed. “So you liked me even back then?”

“Shut up.”

“I mean, to be fair, things _did_ happen in my car. We made out a couple times.”

“ _Shut up,_ ” Seungmin repeated. He already knew how red his face was turning.

“You enjoyed it.”

“Hyunjin—!”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” Hyunjin laughed. “I’m stopping.”

“You better.”

 

For a while, they just stayed there, watching Kkami play with the other dogs other people brought with them, too. Seungmin was the first to break the silence again.

“It seems so long ago, doesn’t it?” he said, feeling a sudden wave of nostalgia. “Minho-hyung was always teasing me.”

“Yeah,” Hyunjin agreed. “Changbin-hyung was always trying to reassure me that you like me.”

“I never even told him I like you.”

“You never told anyone, Seungminnie. Not even me! You wouldn’t even go on a date with me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. You came around.”

“I _did_.”

Hyunjin took his hand and squeezed it tightly before lacing their fingers together, and Seungmin couldn’t help but think about how their hands fit together perfectly.

“Sometimes you just gotta let things happen, yeah?” Hyunjin said. “And sometimes you just gotta ask that cute cashier if they have samples of dog treats, too.”

Seungmin laughed, remembering the first time he had seen Hyunjin. It seemed so long ago even though it had only really been over half a year ago. He remembered thinking Hyunjin was cute until he came up to him and asked for dog food. Back then, he had no idea that months later he would end up holding hands with this weird guy at the Han River, with a bottle of soju that was now half empty, a few bags of chips, ramen, and packets of dog treats for Kkami.

But now here he was, with Hyunjin by his side, and he had never felt more at ease and patient with himself and the world as much as he did now, watching the sun as it set, signifying another day that was to come, another chance for him to walk side by side, hand in hand with Hyunjin, without worrying about who was in front of them or who was behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> thank u so much for reading and i hope seungjin post a selfie on ig soon sigh  
> [talk to me](https://www.curiouscat.me/straychz) if u want maybe


End file.
